Fatal Exposure
by Meara
Summary: Usagi takes a blood test to get into college that changes not only her life, but the lives of all the Senshi forever. How will the world react to the disclosure of the true idenity of Sailor Moon - and the fact that she's much more than she seems.
1. Default Chapter

"Fatal Exposure"

By Meara

_Prologue_

The envelope from the University of Tokyo sat in the middle of the table where Usagi had set it down almost half an hour ago. She'd started to open half dozen times, only to chicken out at the last moment.

Usagi then decided that news like this (good or bad) always went better with a piece of Mom's chocolate cake. If she was going to have the cake, she had to have milk to go with it. So with a production that would have made Cecil B. DeMille proud, Usagi took her time to cut the precisely perfect sized slice of cake. She then took a glass and filled it to the exact top.

Savoring each mouthful Usagi ever so slowly consumed the confection, never taking her eyes off the dreaded envelope. The envelope, predictably, didn't move but at last Usagi did.

She examined it from across the room. She peered at it up close. Usagi tilted her head to the left and then to the right. Finally giving an exasperated sigh she knew there was only one thing to do. Rubbing the tips of her fingers together like a safecracker warming up for action, Usagi paused but a heartbeat. She ripped the top of the envelope open, mumbling a heartfelt prayer.

"Oh please," she whispered, "Oh please, please, pleeeease…"

The supplication turned to joy as she read the first sentence. Her mother came in the door from grocery shopping to find her daughter literally jumping up and down. It took her a long moment to understand the frenzied words that tumbled out of Usagi's mouth.

"I'm in, I'm in, I'm in! They accepted me at Tokyo University!" Usagi danced around her mother before enveloping her in an ecstatic hug, "I'm going to college!"

Usagi's mother hugged her back and taking the letter, looked at it with her excited daughter. "It says that we need to reply to this letter within thirty days and with the attached medical forms completed." Ikuko raised both eyebrows as she added, "Along with a very large check."

Usagi stopped jumping and snatched the letter back. "What? I don't want to go to the doctor!"

Ikuko smiled as Usagi peered closely at the letter, trying to find a loophole. Her little girl had never enjoyed a visit to the family physician. All though the days of dragging a screaming Usagi into the office were gone, it was still difficult to get her to go without a minor fuss.

"I'm sure it's just routine, honey. Most colleges just want to make sure you're up to date on your inoculations and that you're not carrying some hideous, communicable disease that they could be sued over. It'll probably be little more than a blood test."

Well", Usagi grumbled unhappily, "if I have to get a little blood drawn to get into college, I suppose that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make."

Even as she said the words, a chill ran down Usagi's spine. In the years to come, she would realize that it was actually a rare flash of precognition that had disturbed her that day. The receipt of that letter had marked the beginning of the end. Her life as Tsukino Usagi would come crashing down around her in a way she could never have imagined.


	2. Chapter One Blood Trail

"Fatal Exposure"

By Meara

Chapter One – "Blood Trail"

_"The fault, dear Brutus, is not our stars, but in ourselves…"_

_"Julius Caesar", Act One_

Mamoru came at her with an evil gleam in his eyes. He held up a long, slender needle that flashed it as it caught the light. The raven-haired man leaned over the young woman who shrank back from him in fear.

"I have you now, my fine beauty. Your blood is mine, Bwahahaha!" he laughed, madly.

Usagi used her other hand to whack Mamoru once on the shoulder. "Stop that," she hissed at him. "Just take the sample and get it over with!"

Mamoru laughed as he kissed his fiancé once on the top of her golden hair. "Come on, Usako, I've always wanted to play the mustache twirling villain. For years, every time I made one of my entrance speeches, it was like I was giving a lecture in invertebrate biology. They never listened to me."

"I always listened," responded Usagi with stars in her eyes. "You were wonderful each and every time."

Mamoru poked at the vein in the crook of her elbow experimentally with his index finger. "You know once, just once," he mumbled as he took the blood sample, "I wanted to be able to tell someone like Beryl, 'bite me, drama queen' and then laugh insanely. Unfortunately, I never got the chance."

Usagi had closed her eyes tightly while Mamoru took the required sample. "I don't like to think about some of things I said in those early days." The two had spent many an evening playing 'dumb hero lines', trying to decide which one of them had said the most outrageous thing to a villain. "Hey, you got off some good ones. My favorite was always…"

"No!" moaned Mamoru, "Not the 'You have used your drum for evil' line! I swear, woman you abuse me shamelessly."

"Abuse? Excuse me," replied Usagi as Mamoru put a band-aid on the site of the injection, "have I stuck you with a sharp needle lately?

Placing the pre-printed identification sticker on the vial, Mamoru put it in a small rack. He stripped off the latex gloves and tossed them into the trash. "Aww, poor baby. Tell Dr. Chiba where it hurts."

"It hurts here," Usagi pointed to her arm as she stood up, then to her lips with a sly smile, "And here, too. Think you can kiss it and make it better?"

Taking Usagi's arm, he placed a single, light kiss just above the band-aid. She gave a delighted shiver and sighed as he pulled her close. He tilted Usagi's head up as he whispered, "And now about those lips…"

Mamoru felt Usagi's arms slide around his waist, the slowly up his back as he kissed her. Their relationship had moved into the physical as Usagi matured emotionally. It had been hell on Mamoru to wait, but he loved his Usako too much to rush her.

He had always known that she had a loving heart but the depth of her passion for him sometimes still surprised him. In typical Usagi fashion, having tasted the joys of an adult relationship, and deciding she liked it, she couldn't get enough of it.

Usagi's hands now reached toward his head, pulling him to her as she molded herself to his body. It was an aggressive action that made him forget where he was for a moment. Mamoru's hormones took over as his brain shut down. He lifted her off the ground and together they fell backwards onto the couch.

"Mamo-chan," she whispered in his ear, nibbling on it. "Are you off duty now? Because if you aren't, I'm going to have to kidnap you."

He was slowly placing kisses down the length of long and lovely neck, "Yes, oh thank you God. Yes, I am off duty now."

They stumbled up from the couch and Mamoru took her face in his hands giving his beloved a long, slow kiss. "Would you like to come to my place for a little dinner?"

Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief, "Actually, I'd rather start with dessert."

They headed for the side door to the parking lot so that the staff of Tokyo General Hospital wouldn't be treated to the very unusual sight of Doctor Chiba running for his car, blonde in tow. The sound of their laughter, and the door slamming behind them, caught the attention of a graduate student by the name of Kashu Hikaru, who was in the lab.

He looked around, but only saw the back of a rapidly disappearing white lab coat. Usagi's blood sample sat alone in the rack that would send it for the required tests. Kashu picked it up and smiled to himself. The lab had technically closed half an hour ago, but one of the residents had asked to use it to draw some blood for routine college admissions health testing for a family member or someone.

Good, he thought. The vial was full. There would more than enough for the required tests and some left over. The young woman who had just run out the door certainly seemed healthy. Her blood sample would help Kashu complete the preliminary work on his doctoral dissertation.

He looked at the vial, smiling at his stroke of good luck. His night was looking up, after all.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

If you had ever told Usagi that the day would come when she actually enjoyed school, she would have suggested that you have your medication adjusted. Here she was though, in the middle of her sophomore year, staring at her name as it appeared on the list of students who had achieved honors during the last semester.

"I don't believe it," she said to herself.

"Don't believe what, Usagi-chan?" Kino Makoto had been coming back from an afternoon lecture when she spotted her friend simply standing in front on the rank board, looking up at it. Never one to miss an opportunity to indulge her curiosity, Makoto simply had to see what held Usagi in such a stupor.

"Did someone beat Ami for top of the class?" she asked in a jovial manner.

The young woman with the sunshine hair batted her large blue eyes incredulously as she said, "I made Dean's list."

"No way!" Makoto leaned forward and ran a finger down the list of names. Sure enough, right where it belonged, between "S" and "U", was the name Tsukino, Usagi. Beside it was a tiny gold star that signified that she was at the top ten percent of the class.

"Oh my God!" shouted Mako, "You made DEAN'S LIST!" She began to jump up and down as she grabbed at her friend.

Usagi also started to jump as the reality of the situation began to sink in. The two of them shrieked like monkeys for a long minute before finally settling back down to Earth.

"I wish I had a camera," said Usagi as they huffed for breath. "Rei will never believe this if I don't have photographic proof."

Grabbing for her friends arm, Mako began to pull her toward a nearby door. "I think I may know a way to accomplish that."

The over worked secretary in the large, poorly lit office managed a wan smile when the two exuberant young woman entered. As the taller of the two blurted out in a polite manner what they were after, the secretary pointed out the small pile of copies she'd made when the honors list was posted earlier in the day.

The woman had been working at the University long enough to save herself days of running back and forth to copier. Students always wanted to be able to send home proof that they'd actually made the honor roll. There was something about these two, though, that caught her attention and she brightened.

"Which one of you made the list?" she asked.

The tall, auburn haired one put an arm around the blonde's shoulder. "My friend here did! And it's her first time!"

"Well, congratulations Miss…?"

"Tsukino. Tsukino Usagi," replied the young woman with the large blue eyes. She had an infectious smile and was fairly bursting with pride.

"Congratulations, Usagi," the secretary smiled back at her. "I hope this is the first of many time you make the list."

They two thanked the woman politely and danced out the door with their prize in hand. They nearly ran into a man who was coming in the door just as they exited. His gaze followed the beautiful students out the door before he went into the office.

There was something in the way he walked that caught the secretary's attention. There was an arrogance in the way he moved that she recognized at once. It told her that this was a man who held himself in the highest regard and above everyone else. After spending the better part of twenty years working in academia, she knew the type all too well. His voice clinched it for her.

"I was told that you could assist me. I am looking for a student here at the University." Even while the man spoke to her, he never removed his sunglasses. His suit was Armani, expensive with a silk tie done in an old school pattern. The words flashed through her mind almost reflexively.

_Rich, spoiled, entitled._

"I'm sorry, sir," she responded flatly (hoping he'd get the hint and go away), "But we can't give out personal information on students."

He flashed brilliantly white teeth at her as he gave he his most charming smile. "This is different. My name is Doctor Kashu and I'm with the University's research program on the Human Genome Project. It's imperative I find one of our participants in the project."

The young Doctor reached into his creaseless suit and produced a small paper. "This should clear up any confusion. It's a note from President Hitashi clearing me to check student records."

"Very well, Kashu-san" nodded the secretary, "How may I help you today?"

"I need to find a young woman in the sophomore class." The young doctor finally removed his sunglasses. His black eyes had an intense light in them the secretary found somehow disturbing.

"Her name is Tsukino, Usagi."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"Kami have mercy," Rei shrieked at the top of her lungs. "You made DEAN'S LIST!" She stumbled forward, staring, wide eyed at the piece of paper in her hands. "I don't believe it!"

"Read it and weep, Rei-chan," replied Usagi with a satisfied smile. "I told Mako that you'd never believe it if I didn't have proof."

Rei sat down hard on one of the temple's stone steps. "Well I see it and I still don't believe it! Someone check and make sure that the sky hasn't fallen. The odanga ataman is a scholar. This has to a sure sign that the end times are upon us!"

"You made Dean's List?!" came Minako's voice from behind them, "I don't believe it!" She sprinted across the courtyard she had just entered and ripped the paper from Rei's hands.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" grumbled Usagi. "I'm not the village idiot, you guys! I can do good work!"

"Of course you can Usagi-chan. You just needed to apply yourself." Ami completed the group as she strolled into the middle of the courtyard.

"So what made you finally decide to stay awake in class, anyway?" asked Rei as she rested her chin on her hand. "You never did before."

Usagi narrowed her eyes at the Shinto Priestess. "Ha, ha, Rei! I just like the classes that I have. The professors ask our opinions on what we're studying and they actually listen to what we say."

Luna sat on the roof above the young women and took a moment to smile to herself. With all the changes that had occurred in their lives since they graduated from High School, the one constant had been their friendship for each other. They were as close as they had ever been; perhaps even closer.

Minako was modeling and acting as steadily as she could manage these days. Ami had skipped her freshman year at the University entirely and was in an accelerated program that would have her ready for her graduate work in medical school within two years. Rei had, for all intents and purposes, taken over the running of the Hikawa Shrine.

Makoto was apprenticed to a pastry chef in one of Tokyo's finest restaurants. Amazingly she still found the time to attend business classes at the University. Usagi, though, had surprised them all the most. Her major was Government/Political Sciences and she was, Luna had to admit, brilliant at it.

But no matter how busy their lives were, they all made the time to meet every Wednesday afternoon at the Temple. The original purpose of the meetings was to train and keep their edge even now that things seemed quiet. In reality, it was an event that Luna called "The Therapy Session." For a few hours each week, they could forget their new responsibilities and just enjoy each other's company. It gave them a chance to reaffirm the special bond they had with one another.

That bond would be needed when the events that would bring about the rise of Crystal Tokyo started. Although none of them brought it up at any of the meetings, it was never really that far from any of their minds. The knowledge that the world they knew was going to end one of these days wasn't easy to live with.

Artemis bounded into the courtyard and Luna knew that it was time to begin this weeks meeting. She nimbly hopped to the ground and gave Artemis a sparing glance. He'd been less than attentive to her as of late and she was not about let him know that she missed him. Luna sat primly with her tail curved tightly about her body.

"We might as well begin," she started. "Michiru and Haruka are still in France with Hotaru. Setsuna isn't expected back from New York until later this week. Artemis, has there been any activity that we should be aware of?"

The white cat looked uncomfortable. "Ummm, I haven't been to central control for a couple of days."

Luna turned her head and gave him a withering look. "Really? What or who, pray tell, has had you so occupied that you couldn't tear yourself away to check on the safety of the world?" When he didn't respond right away, she finished for him. "Oh never mind. Happily I haven't been neglecting my duties and can report that things continue to remain basically quiet."

"Meeting adjourned!" called Minako with a wave of her hand. "So have you told Mamoru that you made Dean's List?"

"Actually," replied Usagi with a satisfied smile, "He's taking me out to dinner tonight and I'll tell him then."

Professional curiosity made Makoto ask, "Where's he taking you?"

"Top of The Tower," she squealed with glee.

The other four young women broke into a simultaneous chorus of, "OOOHHH!"

That place is so expensive!" said Makoto.

"I've got the perfect dress for you to wear," Minako chimed in. "I won't be needing it for a while, since I'm going to Los Angeles tomorrow…"

"Los Angeles? When did this happen?" shouted Usagi.

"Why are you going?" Rei asked practically on top of Usagi's question.

"And who are you going with?" It was Ami's turn now.

Makoto laughed as she added, "Spill it Minako-chan! We need to know it all!"

The five young women were laughing and talking over each in a joyous babble. Luna turned to Artemis with a resigned shrug. "Well, it's nice to know that some things never change."

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The restaurant known as the "Top of the Tower" was situated across from the renowned Tokyo Tower and had a direct view of that landmark. It also had boasted a truly spectacular view of the bay and the surrounding city. The upscale restaurant never bothered to advertise as it always seemed to have a very long reservation list.

Although Dr. Chiba Mamoru had been patiently saving and planning for three years, he'd been dreaming of this night for well over a thousand. He took a moment to look at the woman who sat across from him and he decided it had been worth the wait. She was looking at the lights of the city below them and the full moon above as he studied her elegant face.

Reaching for her hand, he placed his own over it. Usagi looked up at him and he was struck once again by her beauty. She wore a calf length dress of ivory satin that made her skin seem to glow. Her golden hair had been caught into a simple braid that fell to her hips.

"Your beauty puts the moonlight to shame." Mamoru smiled as Usagi blushed charmingly at the compliment. "Have I told you how much I love you today?"

"Only today, Mamo-chan?" she teased him.

Mamoru raised her hand to his lips, never taking his eyes from hers. "Forever, my beloved. I love you today, tomorrow and for all time. The stars will burn themselves out before my passion for you does."

He stood up and, still holding her hand asked, "May I have this dance?"

With a smile (and a quick prayer that she wouldn't trip in her new shoes) Usagi went with Mamoru and they moved onto the ballroom floor. Although there were other couples, it seemed that to the young lovers that they were the only ones dancing.

Past, present and future blurred together in Usagi's mind as she lost herself in the joy of holding her one and only love. In her mind's eye, images flashed, one after the other. It was a thousand years ago and, as Princess Serenity, she was slowly dancing for the first time with her prince. The full moon shone above them and the scent of roses filled the air. It was a thousand years from now. Neo-Queen Serenity glided across a marble floor as she lost herself in the passionate eyes of her husband and beloved.

Mamoru voice whispering in her ear brought her back to the here and now. "I was thinking, how does a fall wedding sound to you?"

"What?" she heard herself say.

"Our engagement has been longer than either of us planned. We've waited long enough, Usako. As much as I enjoy our stolen afternoons and evenings, it's not enough any more." He pulled her even closer. "I want to wake up with you in my arms every morning. I want to build a home and a future with you."

Usagi couldn't believe the next words that came out of her mouth. "But, what about Crystal Tokyo…?" Her brain was shouting _'shut up, Usagi, you idiot, and just say yes!'_.

Mamoru looked down at her with a tilt of his head that made her knees turn to water. "Let's worry about the future when it happens, ne? With you at my side, I can face anything."

"Mamo-chan," she whispered as tears of joy formed in her crystal blue eyes, "this is the happiest night of my life! September sounds wonderful for a wedding."

Mamoru took the opportunity to lower her into a dip. "Then we'll tell your folks right after dinner tonight."

Usagi looked up at him and gave a sly smile. "Does it have to be right after dinner?"

He returned the smile as he lifted her upright again, "Then again, since they've waited this long, a few more hours won't hurt."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Kashu Hikaru had always had the very best life had to offer. He had gone to the most prestigious schools, drove the most expensive cars, slept with the most beautiful women. His Grandfather had been awarded the style, "Prince" for his tireless work on behalf of the Empire. While Kashu wasn't technically supposed to use the title, (the style "Prince" was supposed to die with his Grandfather) he often let it drop in social circumstances. It never hurt to make sure that those around him knew he was a superior being.

Finding Tsukino Usagi had been easier than he could have imagined. As he stood in the shadows across from the modest house in the Juban section of Tokyo, he mentally ran over the details of his plans yet again. Once his discovery was made public he would be the most sought after man not just in Japan, but also in the entire world. The Noble prize would be the least of the awards he'd receive. He absently noticed the red sports car pulled up in front of the Tsukino home while he was running his acceptance speech through his mind once more.

The man driving the car hopped out and went to open the door for his companion. The sight of the beautiful blonde woman brought a smile to Kashu's face. Her exotic appearance would only serve to add fuel to the fire of publicity he intended to stoke. The smile fell though, as the man she was with moved into the light of the street lamp and his face became clearly visible.

Kashu had been a few years behind Dr. Chiba Mamoru, but everyone on campus knew about the man. He was a nobody; a man with none of the proper family connections who somehow managed to consistently achieve the best scores and get the choicest of assignments. In fact, Chiba had beaten Kashu out for a resident's position on staff at Tokyo Hospital. That he was here and with "Her" could mean only one thing.

Chiba _knew_.

Kashu had no idea how Chiba could have stumbled upon the same results he had. Worse yet, the common, little man might be preparing to release his findings and steal the laurels that Kashu meant to be his. Reaching into his pocket Kashu pulled out a cell phone and began to dial. It took a long moment before there was an answer on the other end.

"This is Kashu. We have to move the timetable up. Get the equipment together and set up for tomorrow." He turned and headed back to where his car was parked, listening impatiently to the voice on the other end of the call. "I don't care how much it costs. Just do it!"

As he snapped the telephone shut a grim expression settled on his face. No one was going to have what was his by right! No one was going to stop him from doing what others had tried and failed to do. If Chiba, damn him, got in his way then he'd just have to have him removed from the equation; permanently if necessary.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"The good of the State will always come before the good of the individual," the young man turned to Usagi as if stating the obvious. "The needs of the many out weight the needs of the few, or of the one."

Usagi shook her head sharply, causing her long blonde hair to fly back and forth. "With all due respect to Mr. Spock," this caused a ripple of laughter, "You have to remember that your 'State' is made up of individuals. Remember what the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau said in his work, 'Social Contract'. People are born with certainly, inalienable rights. When you violate the rights of an individual within the State, you start down the road to despotism. Although Despots, like Hitler, can be popular at first, people of conscience will always rise against them. In the end, the Despot will fall from power."

The teacher, who had been sitting on her desk as she listened to her student's debate, spoke up. "So you believe, like Spinoza, that people are intrinsically good, Usagi?"

"Of course," replied Usagi. "If you see someone who's been hurt, what's your first instinct? Most people would go and help them, because most people are basically good."

"So why is there evil in the world?" asked a student. "Are some people born just plain bad?"

"Everyone has the capacity to change, no matter how far gone others think they are." Usagi sighed, "But they have to want to be healed, want to be changed."

"And on that note," interrupted the teacher before Usagi could continue, "that's all for today. We'll finish this discussion on Thursday, people. Remember that your papers on Marx are due in two weeks!"

This was her last class of the day, so Usagi took her time gathering up her books. Her mind had already left the classroom and was spinning in circles, planning for Saturday September 18th, when she and Mamoru would be finally wed. Today she'd talk to Rei about having a traditional Shinto ceremony at the Shrine, to be followed by Christian ceremony and a western style reception. Makoto, Usagi thought, she had to talk to Mako-chan about what restaurant to pick!

And the dress…

She was so wrapped up in her plans, that Usagi didn't hear the man come up behind her. As he placed a hand on her shoulder, she gave a shriek of surprise and whirled to look at him.

"I'm sorry, did I startle you? Are you Tsukino Usagi, by any chance?" he said.

She nodded mutely at the man. He was young, handsome and very well dressed in an Armani suit with a silk tie. Usagi may have been engaged to Mamoru and hopelessly in love with him, but she'd have to have been dead not to notice the Doctor's incredibly good looks.

He gave her a dazzling smile and held out one hand, "I'm Doctor Nigori from the Human Genome Project. You were recommended to me by the work-study office for a position I have open."

She took the hand and gave it a polite shake. _Boy_, she thought, _that office works fast_! Usagi had just signed up this morning to look for a part time job, now that she was going to be a married woman. Mamoru didn't know about the idea yet, but being able to show him that she could get a job to help pay the bills appealed to her. Usagi wanted to prove to everyone that she could be mature and responsible.

"You do? That's wonderful!" she gushed, then recovered and said, "Oh, I mean, let's discuss this shall we?"

"Why don't we go to my office here on campus? It's close by and you could see what the position entails." His voice was pleasant, calm and reassuring. "You can tell me about yourself as we walk, ne?"

Kashu kept the pace moderate as they headed toward a building at the back of the University's grounds. He listened to her with half an ear as they went. This was almost too easy. The Tsukino girl was so trusting, so naïve and so very beautiful.

Kashu Hikaru studied her out of the corner of his eye. What she truly was shone through, no matter how she tried to disguise it. Her hair was the color of sunshine and impossibly fine. The light wind caused it to swirl around her like a veil. Her eyes betrayed her, too; a blue purer than anything he'd ever seen.

He let her ramble on about her life and her friends, nodding his head at the appropriate intervals. They went into his office, and he shut the door behind her. "Please have a seat. I just got a case of American Coca Cola, would you care for some?"

Usagi's sweet tooth got the better of her. "Yes, please. That would be very nice." She looked at the small, dark and dingy office with more than a bit of trepidation. "What kind of work do you do here?"

Dr. "Nigori" finished pouring her a glass of the dark, sweet soda and handed it to her. "The Project has been involved with codifying of the human genetic makeup."

Usagi hadn't a clue as to what that meant, so she smiled and took a deep drink of the soda. "Oh, really? It sounds very interesting."

The soda was slightly bitter as she swallowed it. Usagi managed not grimace as she realized that it must some of that awful "diet" stuff. Her mother's voice echoed in her head, telling her it was only polite to finish what she took. Usagi drank the glass as quickly as possible. "What would my job here be?"

Kashu Hikaru watched her finish the soda with delight. He leaned over and took the now empty glass. "Actually, you're going to have a unique part in this project. I'm doing some private research here and you are going to help me become famous for it."

Usagi jumped, startled, when the man grabbed her by the arms, dragging her to her feet. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" Usagi suddenly broke into a cold sweat, her head beginning to pound. "Let me go!"

Kashu's pleasant smile faded and a wolfish grin replaced it. "I don't think so." He pulled her to him with a yank. "You see I know what you really are."

The world began to tilt for Usagi as her vision swam in circles. She wanted to hit Kashu, to shout at him to let her go, but her body wouldn't obey her mind. She raised a shaking hand to try and reach for her henshin locket, but Kashu held her tightly. Usagi's head rolled back and forth as she fought against what was happening to her.

Her ears were filled with a buzzing that kept getting louder as her mind shrieked in incoherent fear. The room gave a final lurch before darkness rose to claim her.

As Usagi sagged against him, Kashu let her drop to the floor. He regarded her coldly, as he might an interesting animal specimen. "You see, I know all about you, Tsukino Usagi," he said to her. "I know your secret…"

"I know that you aren't human."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

**Next:** Kashu gets some unexpected surprises as he finds out that there's even more to Usagi than he could have suspected. But his crude methods put Usagi in mortal peril. Can Tuxedo Kamen and the Senshi find her in time to save her life? Be here for Chapter Two – "Negative Reactions"


	3. Chapter 2 - "Negative Reactions"

"Fatal Exposure"

By Meara

Chapter Two - "Negative Reactions"

Mamoru was in his apartment's small kitchen when it hit him. The coffee pot in his hand fell to the floor, shattering into a thousand pieces. The feelings overtook Mamoru with such ferocity that it drove him to his knees.

Fear, desperation and panic tore at his soul. The emotions were so strong, so vivid that Mamoru could almost hear Usagi's voice in his mind. There was a loud buzzing in his ears and for a moment he feared he would pass out.

_Mamo-chan, help me!_

Mamoru felt familiar warmth wash over him as he began to transform into Tuxedo Kamen. Then as suddenly as it had started it all stopped. The panic, the dizziness and his transformation were cut off abruptly.

"Usako…Oh God, no!" he prayed as he stumbled to his feet. Mamoru closed his eyes then reached for his beloved with all his heart and soul. There was no response, the bond between them terrifyingly still. Mamoru's eyes snapped open. Fear, this time his own, dug icy talons into his heart.

He grabbed for the telephone and started to dial Rei's number while trying to master the dread that wanted to take control of him. Whatever had happened to Usagi, he would need to be calm and collected. Mamoru had gotten very good at walling off his emotions over the years. He allowed an icy calm to take control of him as Rei answered.

"Call the others and tell them to get to your place as fast as possible," he said succinctly, "Something's happened to Usagi. She's in trouble and I can't find her."

Mamoru knew that the internal castle he shoved his feelings into would eventually come crashing down and then he'd be at the mercy of those emotions. When those feelings finally took hold of him, there would hell to pay. He could only pray that he could find his Usako before that happened.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Aino Minako was about to make her first trip to the capital of dreams, Hollywood, USA. She'd worked for years to finally get to this point. Although she had the script packed into her carry on bag, she didn't need it. Minako all ready had the five pages of dialogue that would she needed committed to memory.

She was going to audition for a part in a movie; a real, honest-to-goodness movie! It was an as yet unnamed project that was being directed by none other than Steven Spielberg. It took every ounce of discipline she'd acquired over the years not to jump up and down and squeal like a maniac. If life every got any better than at this moment, Minako couldn't think of how that was possible. She didn't even mind that the line in front of her wasn't moving all that fast. After all, she'd gotten to the airport four hours early just to be sure that she didn't miss her flight.

Minako was so wrapped up in her own joy that she almost missed the sound that came from her purse.

She startled and looked at her bag incredulously. From the pitch of the beeps, it wasn't the new cell phone she'd gotten yesterday. The latest, thinnest, coolest looking cell phone she was reasonably sure she could afford was little more than a prop since it hadn't been turned on yet. It could only be the communications device she carried as a Senshi.

Oddly enough, Minako paused before answering it. Pulling it slowly out of her purse, she simply stared at it while a nagging, little voice deep down inside told her that if she answered this call, Minako could kiss her dreams of stardom goodbye.

Almost in tears, she flipped the device open. "This had better be important!"

Rei's voice came to ears. "Something bad has happened to Usagi. She's gone missing and Mamoru can't find her. Is that important enough?"

"I'll be there as soon as I can," replied Minako. She flipped th device closed and picked up her luggage, heading for the doors to hail a cab. Before exiting the airport, Minako took last look toward the gate that led to the plane to LA.

Once again, duty came before her own dreams. As Minako hailed a cab her temper began to do a slow boil. Whoever had Usagi better have really good health insurance. He was going to need it, because Minako was very sure that once she found the person who as threatening not only her princess but Minako's dreams, there was going to be hell to pay.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Mizuno Ami's slender hand was writing so fast that it was beginning to cramp. For the first time in her life, she was taking a class that made her work, really work, for a good grade. The Physics professor was nicknamed, "The Red Vector" for his rather eccentric habit using only a red ink on the board in the lecture hall. His other quirk was the hard and fast rule of no recorders in class. If you wanted notes on his lecture you had to do it the old fashioned way, by hand. Ami had the uneasy feeling that if you took the time to sneeze you'd be hopelessly behind with this teacher.

He proudly told them that they were the best of the best and he expected their total attention at all times. If they weren't capable of that then get out. His lecture hall was no place for wimps. Otherthan the sound of pen on paper and the professor's voice, there was no noise.

Until, of course, the beeping from her backpack started.

If Ami had stripped naked and set her blue hair on fire, she couldn't drawn more attention or been more mortified. She dropped her pen and scrambled after the noisesome device. Ami bent over so far that she was almost falling out of the chair. She put the communicator to her ear as she hissed, "This is not a good time!"

"I'm sorry Ami-chan" came Rei's voice, "But it's an emergency. Usagi has disappeared. Mamoru-san is sure she's in terrible trouble. Please, get here as fast as you can."

"I'm on my way," said Ami as she snapped the device shut. Jamming it in her pack, she quietly gathered up her notebooks and prepared to slip away. The students she tiptoed past all gave her the same look, wondering if she'd lost her mind. Maybe she was insane to leave, but Ami knew she had no choice.

Her duty came before all else and Ami knew it. There was little chance that another of the students would be willing to share their notes with her. Competition at her level of academia was cut throat. She would now be hopelessly behind and could kiss a passing grade in this course good bye. Anger began its slow climb into her mind as she rushed for the temple.

Ami wasn't one to get this angry very often, but when she did, the object of her rage was in deep trouble. Her efficient intellect neatly transferred her anger to the person who had Usagi. Usagi-chan had better be all right, she thought. If some maniac had hurt her best friend, Sailor Mercury would vowed that there would by hell to pay.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Kino Makoto didn't even wait for the bus to the Hikawa Temple. After receiving the call from Rei she pleaded a family emergency (which was true enough considering how she felt about Usagi-chan and the others.) and left the restaurant. Makoto had been in the final stages of making a dessert called an "Apple Strudel". It had taken her all morning to get the filo dough thin enough, yet strong enough, to make the pastry's many layers. It was ruined now, she knew. The dough would fall and turn the confection into an apple flavored doorstop.

It was a little over a mile from the restaurant to Rei's and Makoto ran every step at top speed. She was desperately afraid for Usagi. Makoto couldn't deal with the thought of losing someone she loved again; not after her parent's untimely death. The truth be known, Makoto had never really gotten over the pain of that loss. Unable to handle the fear Makoto channeled it into a burning rage. When they found Usagi, there was going to be hell to pay. And Sailor Jupiter was going to deliver that bill personally.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Usagi floated in a midnight sea. Normally she didn't like the dark very much but it quite pleasant here. There were brief flashes that invaded her warm, soft world. There was the sensation of cold hands on her and brief glimpses of a figure in a white lab coat that provoked a stirring of anger. It was much better to ignore all of that and stay in this timeless place.

A voice kept invading her world, though, refusing to go away. A name was mentioned time and time again. "…the subject …."

Who would be calling her "the subject", she wondered? Her name was Usagi. Mamo-chan called her Usako, her Dad called her his princess and Rei called her baka once in a while, but no one had ever called her "the subject".

The voice was fading in more than it was fading out now. If she concentrated, she could make out a few words here and there. "…reaction to commonly used sedative is unexpected…alien physiology…sample into sterile suspension."

That it was much too bright was the first, semi-coherent thought Usagi had. She blinked and tried to bring her hand up to cover her eyes, but it felt as if her arms were made of lead. The arm finally flopped up and smacked her on the face. Although Usagi tried to move it, the limb lay there stubbornly.

"Owww…" she moaned in a slurred voice, "…that hurt." Her head was still buzzing. Usagi's tongue felt like it was two feet thick and coated with stale peanut butter. She stuck it out in disgust, "Yuck." Her eyes were half open now, but she couldn't seem to get her mind to make sense of what she saw. It was like seeing things through deep water.

A man (she was sure it was a man but how did she know that, Usagi wondered?) in a white lab coat lifted her arm away from her face. He held it for a moment before asking, "…can you hear me, girl?"

"No, no, no. Don't call me 'girl.' I'm Usagi," she mumbled, 'OOO-SAAH-GEE,' cause of my hair." That seemed very funny to her for once and she wanted to laugh, but found she couldn't. "I don't feel good. Can't breathe…"

Kashu put down the tape recorder he was holding and looked at the Tsukino girl's arm with growing apprehension. Large, purple and red blotches had appeared in it. A quick examination showed that the discoloration was creeping up her arm and onto her torso. Damn, he thought to himself, the alien witch was having an allergic reaction to the sedative! The hives were popping up on her neck now as the girl's unnaturally blue eyes rolled back into her head and she went limp.

"God damn it…" Kashu cursed as he scrambled for the black bag on the table in back of him. He couldn't let the Tsukino girl die, not yet anyway. He needed her for a while longer!

Forcing himself to be calm, Kashu withdrew a vial of epinephrine and quickly filled a syringe with the appropriate dose. After injecting it into her upper arm, Kashu threw the used syringe away and lifted Usagi's upper body in his arms.

"Come on, come on…" he slapped her face several times. "Come one, damn you, wake up and breathe!"

The girl's eyes half opened and she gave a shudder that ran through her body. Her head flopped from side to side as she wheezed, struggling for air. Usagi jerked again and her eyes widened for a moment…

…As she proceeded to vomit all over his now less than spotless, white lab coat. Kashu leapt back involuntarily and raised his arms away from his body in disgust. The young woman flopped back onto the steel examination table, still gasping and choking. As he removed the soiled lab coat, tossing it to one side, two frightening words filled his mind.

Anaphylactic shock.

The Tsukino woman was going into anaphylactic shock and he had a video camera recording it all. Her throat was swelling closed and her respiratory system began to collapse. If he couldn't stop it, she'd be dead in a few minutes. That thought brought three even more frightening words to mind, first degree murder. The idea of spending the rest of his life in prison was not an appealing one. Kashu began to sweat, his mind turning over furiously in a desperate attempt to find a way out of this dilemma.

Almost at once a double-pronged solution came to mind. With a glance at the gasping young woman on the table, he grabbed the small cassette recorder he'd been talking into a pushed the button that would erase the tape. Kashu yanked the small video camera off the tripod and headed for the door.

His car wasn't parked very far away. In it was a larger bag with a more extensive selection of drugs. There was also a five-liter can of gasoline in the trunk. If he couldn't save her, he could at least save himself. The building they were in was remote and old. When the University had closed it the word "fire trap" was used repeatedly. It should go up fairly quickly with the proper nudge. By the time anyone even noticed that the old building was on fire, the Tsukino girl's body would be ash and Kashu would be in the clear.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

She was drowning. In her dream, Usagi's legs had turned to stone. They dragged her down into the cold, green, seawater. She wanted to reach for her henshin locket but her hands were also turning to stone and refused to obey her.

Metallia waited for her at the bottom of the ocean. Usagi could hear her laugh in triumph and the demon's darkness swept over her. The oily black fluid invaded her mouth and nose, choking her. Usagi's mind shrieked in fear, her lungs burning for air. The rush of adrenaline seemed to help and she fought to take a breath. To her surprise, Usagi could hear the voices of her friends over the sound of the ocean that roared in her ears.

The dream faded and Usagi cracked open her eyes. Rei was standing over her shouting at her to wake up. Why did the Senshi of Mars looked so frightened, Usagi wondered? Mina and Makoto were there also, distress on their faces. It was Mamoru's voice that grabbed her attention, though.

"Usako, listen to me!" Tuxedo Kamen was standing beside her. He had her hand in his own. "You have to transform, Usako! Do you hear me? You have to transform!" He placed her hand on the heart shaped locket on the front of her blouse. "Think the words if you can't say them!"

Usagi's mouth moved but no sound came from it. For a long moment nothing happened. Then the light came and filled her. The silver fire of the Ginzuishou erupted to life. Ami had her visor in place and watched as Usagi transformed into Eternal Sailor Moon. The petite Senshi of Mercury called out information to Tuxedo Kamen while she watched the small computer she held in her hand.

"It's working! Her white and histamine counts are starting to level off and neuro transmitter production is rising!"

When the light and warmth faded Usagi found to her great relief that she could breathe again. "What…what's happening?" Eternal Sailor Moon asked.

Mamoru smiled at her, "We were hoping you could tell us. When we got here, you were in anaphylaxis."

"In what?" repeated Usagi, completely mystified. Mamoru suddenly reached for the front of her fuku and pulling it down as far as he could, peered at her chest. "Mamo-chan, not now…"

Mina gave a nervous laugh at Usagi's tone. "Relax Usagi-chan, I don't think Tuxedo Kamen-sama has that in mind."

Ami was still staring at her through her visor. "Anaphylaxis means your throat was swelling shut due to an allergic reaction. In other words, you couldn't breath," she said. "How do you feel now?"

"Awful," replied Usagi succinctly. "Itchy, nauseous and awful."

Tuxedo Kamen shook his head unhappily, "The hives are popping up again. Whatever you're reacting to is still in your system. Let's go for the big gun, shall we?" He had fallen into "doctor" mode. It was the only way he could possibly remain calm through this. "Usako, do you think you could use the healing power of the Ginzuishou on yourself?"

Her throat was feeling odd again. All she really wanted to do was close her eyes and sleep. "I'm so tired. I don't know if I can, but I'll try."

Rei placed a gentle hand on Usagi's shoulder. "Let us help you, ne?" An ocher glow ran from the Senshi of Mars and suffused Sailor Moon.

Mina and Makoto did the same and closed their eyes. Ami came to join in the circle and let her love flow with the power of Mercury into her friend. Tuxedo Kamen faded away and Prince Endymion took his place.

Golden light played at his hands as he willed the golden crystal to assist his beloved. Rainbow light clothed Usagi as she called forth the great power of the Moon Kingdom. The light shifted and burst as she changed into her Princess form. The crescent moon sigil on her forehead shone brightly and the stone cradled between her cupped hands pulsed in time with it.

"Moon Healing – Escalation!"

Quicksilver fire, like living stardust, infused itself into first her hands then slowly up her arms. Serenity, last Princess of the Silver Millennium, closed her eyes and threw her head back as the searing purity of the light coursed through her body. She could feel the power of the Ginzuishou singing within her, burning the toxin from blood and bone alike. When Serenity opened her eyes again, the silver crystal no longer glowed as brightly.

She smiled at it and with a flip of her hands, the crystal reseated itself in her locket. One by one, the Senshi removed their power from her until only Endymion was left touching the Princess. She tenderly placed a warm hand on his cheek. He moaned softly as he brought his hands up to cover her smaller one.

"Serenity…" he whispered as he placed a kiss on her palm. "I thought I had lost you, my love."

"Never, Endymion, my beloved."

As Endymion gathered her in his arms, Serenity shifted to Eternal Sailor Moon, who in turned became Tsukino Usagi. With a sigh she leaned into Tuxedo Kamen, not wanting this moment to end.

"Usako" he finally asked, "What happened here? How did you get like this?"

Usagi explained to them all about the man who claimed to be part of the Human Genome Project and his "job offer". The last she remembered clearly was having a glass of soda. The rest of her perceptions were too fragmented to be of any use.

Mina had been walking through the room as she listened to her friend. As Usagi finished Venus shook her head. "I think I may have an idea what was supposed to happen here." She pointed to two large lights and an empty tripod. "These are commercial lights and that is an empty camera tripod. Whoever did this may have had a… movie… in mind and not the kind you'd take Chibi-Usa to see, either."

Mercury moved around the room with her computer scanning things as she went. The soiled lab coat and used syringe that still contained traces of epinephrine indicated that someone involved in this fiasco had medical training. As Minako finished speaking, Ami was quietly looking a cold box she'd found in the corner.

"I'm not so sure about that. What kind of filmmaker keeps a bio box with samples in it?"

Rei came over to where Ami was bending over, carefully looking at the box. Mars reached in and picked up a specimen jar. Her eyes flashed as did her hands. The plastic jar disappeared in a burst of fire.

"The kind I'm going to fry extra crispy if I ever get the chance! What say we wait for this pervert and give him a warm welcome?" The other jars vanished in a sheet of flame.

"Sorry," replied Minako, "but I think we scared him off when we arrived. It appears that he took what he could and ran."

Makoto snarled as she raised her hands over her head. "Then let's leave him a message he can't ignore." Whirling she shouted, "Supreme Thunder!" and sent an enormous jolt of electricity cascading through the lights. The bulbs burst and sparks arcing from one piece of equipment to the next until all that was left was row smoking, burned out hulks.

Sailor Jupiter had a satisfied smile on her face as she said, "Not exactly subtle, but I think it gets the point across. This operation is now out of business, permanently."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Kashu Hikaru turned off the small video camera he held. He'd heard voices in the lab when he'd returned. Not wanting to be caught, he'd slipped into an adjoining room and shut the door behind him. He stood on an old wooden chair with uneven legs that rocked back and forth.

His intention had been to listen at a ventilation grate and make sure the Tsukino girl couldn't identify him. When he realized it was the mysterious sailor Senshi, he grabbed the camera and started to film. As the machine whirred away, he mused that he'd never really believed in then until now. Kashu thought them nothing more than an urban legend; like alligators in the sewers.

Now he had the information that was going to make him the most influential man on the planet. He had hard, photographic proof that Tsukino Usagi was Sailor Moon. The rest of the Senshi were in the picture at one time or another, but their faces had been blurred for some reason. (Tuxedo Kamen's back had been stubbornly to the camera the whole time and the best picture Kashu could get was of his the back of his head.) Combine that with the blood work he still had back at his home and the possibilities made him dizzy with glee.

They urban myth known as "Sailor Moon" was an alien. Where the other Senshi aliens too? What was that thing that gave off the silver light – and her change into that other form! She looked like a princess, an extra-terrestrial princess, but obviously a being of great power. With that kind of power at his command there was very little he could not do.

As the Senshi left, Kashu was all ready amending his original plans. They had been small and not really worthy of him or of the exquisite creature he'd captured on film. More than anything he needed time to plan the best way to use this information to his benefit.

As he considered that, an unpleasant name came to mind. There was one other person on the planet that might take the credit and the power that was rightfully Kashu's, Chiba Mamoru.

Oh well, Kashu thought as he started to pour the gasoline from the can onto the floor, Chiba was just another bump in his road to power. The Kashu family was wealthy and had connections to all sorts of people.

Taking out a lighter he carelessly flicked it on and tossed it into the liquid. It ignited with a hungry whoosh as he left the room without a backwards glance. This, at least, was one problem solved. The "accidental" conflagration would neatly cover his tracks.

Kashu needed to arrange for convenient "accident" for Dr. Chiba. A fatal accident that would remove him from the picture permanently.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

**Next** - The mystery deepens. Rei has a disturbing, yet vague, vision. Mamoru finally gets to play superhero and does his best Batman impression in Chapter Three , "Hell to Pay."


	4. Chapter 3 - "Hell To Pay"

"Fatal Exposure"

By Meara

Chapter Three – "Hell to Pay"

Why couldn't she just let it go?

For the past three days Hino Rei had spent every moment she could staring into the sacred fire that was at the heart of the Hikawa Temple. Something nagged relentlessly at Rei, something she couldn't quite identify. It was simply maddening, as though someone was whispering in her ear but she couldn't make out the words. Each time Rei though she might finally be on the verge of whatever was bothering her, the fire would erupt into a mass of chaotic images. As the flames roared once again, the Shinto Priestess gave a loud growl of frustration.

"The harder you try, the harder it becomes for you, ne?"

Rei turned to see her grandfather enter the room with tray in hand. He gave a sad smile and slowly shook his head. "You must be the vessel, not the fiery wine within it."

Rei took the tray from him. "If I wanted Zen, I'd go over to the Buddhist temple."

"Wisdom is wisdom, no matter the source," said her grandfather. The old man neatly folded himself into a sitting position beside Rei. "Would you like to tell me what's bothering you so much?"

"That's part of the problem. I really don't know," replied Rei as she poured herself a cup of the steaming green tea. "There's this sense of imminent disaster that I just can't shake."

"You could still be upset about what happened to Usagi. From what you told me, it was a random act of violence. That can very hard to accept. I still think she should go to the police about it."

Rei sighed and put down the cup. "That's just not possible, Grandpa. I get the feeling that whoever did that to Usagi isn't finished yet. This is something big. It's so big that I can't get a handle on it. The one I'm sure of is that whatever the trouble is, it involves all of us."

"Then I'll give you another Zen saying; 'just be'." He folded his arms

across his chest, looking for all the world like a living Buddha statue. "You may have the answer all ready."

"No I don't!" Rei threw up her hands in frustration. "All I have is chaos!"

"Then maybe that's your answer," said her grandfather. As he spoke the word a chill ran up Rei's spine.

"Kashu."

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

It was the most unlikely of settings. In a small, private room in a traditional teahouse, two well-dressed men sat and planned the death of a third. A graceful Geisha in a golden kimono served them then bowed deeply before disappearing behind a paper screen.

"It must appear to be an accident or suicide," said Kashu Hikaru, looking into his cup of green tea, "I was told you are an expert at such things."

The man across the table from him picked up his own porcelain cup. As he raised it to his lips, Kashu noted that part of his pinky finger was missing. This marked him as a member of Japan's organized crime syndicate commonly called the "Yakuza."

"Indeed Kashu-san. This task is quite expensive, though."

"Money is not an object," said Kashu as he waved a hand dismissively. It was a broad gesture, just short of rude and he regretted it almost immediately.

The soft-spoken mobster didn't reply for a moment, letting Kashu know that he was annoyed by the arrogant display. "There are some things money cannot buy. This is one of them."

"Then what would you consider as payment?"

Putting his cup down the man folded his hands in his lap. "You have knowledge that would be useful to us. We run certain…businesses…that make pharmaceuticals. It would most helpful to have someone of your training who could assist in the research and development of new products. Tokyo University has excellent facilities."

Kashu was no fool. He knew that he was being told that in exchange for having Chiba killed, he had to help in making new and cheaper drugs to sell on the street. Concern briefly rose in his mind, but he pushed it aside. Any deals he made with this criminal would only be temporary. Once he had control of Tsukino Usagi and the other Senshi, he would have the power to crush anyone who stood in his way.

"I am honored that you consider my small skills valuable."

"It is agreed on?" asked the man from the Yakuza.

"Hai" replied Kashu, "As soon as Chiba is assisted to the next life, I will help to make you all very wealthy men in this one."

The man rose from the table and gave a small bow. "Then consider it done, Kashu-san. I'll call you as soon as it's been taken care of."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Every Wednesday, as part of his position as a resident in the general practitioners program at Tokyo Hospital, Mamoru would drive out to a small clinic about fifty miles from the city. The town was a small coal mining community. The people who worked in the mines were at risk for any number of fatal conditions from their profession. The clinic had started as a place to do routine lung x-rays and some minor blood work. Over the years it had blossomed into the one place anyone in town could see a doctor. For a man who wanted to be an old fashioned "family" doctor, it was the perfect setting.

Normally Mamoru enjoyed the drive into the mountainous countryside. It gave him time to relax, to think and plan. Today, however, was a rainy, miserable day. Driving the lumbering medical van on the hilly, winding roads did nothing to uplift his already wretched frame of mind. Going to the clinic meant leaving Usagi and he was nervous about doing that.

Since the assault, he'd arranged to have either himself or one of the Senshi walk her back and forth to the University. Usagi wasn't thrilled with the idea but Mamoru pointed out that as Sailor Senshi they hadn't survived this long by taking stupid chances.

When he'd gotten Usagi back to his apartment, reports of a fire at an old building on Campus were all over the media. Jupiter's display of temper must have set it off somehow. They hadn't exactly stopped to check and make sure things weren't smoldering when they left.

Rather than answer some very difficult questions, they didn't report the assault. This meant that the person or persons that had drugged and kidnapped Usagi were still out there. The young doctor gave a low growl to himself and gripped the steering wheel tightly. If Mamoru ever got his hands on that person, he was going to fillet him into very thin strips.

The pleasant fantasy was disrupted by the sudden glare of headlights in his rearview mirror. The medical van shuddered and slid as it was hit from behind. With a glance in the mirror, he tried to get as far over to the side as he could, hoping to let whatever moron was behind him, pass. The lights swerved as he did and he felt the jolt as the van was hit again.

Mamoru's heart began to pound and he put the gas petal to the floor. The glare of headlights still filled his back window again as the larger vehicle behind him sped up and rammed him once more. The slick road did not help him any as the much heavier truck began to push him from behind. It backed off for a second then reappeared with a deep, gear grinding roar. Slamming into the van, the truck made contact with his right, rear quarter panel. It started to push him toward the edge of the road.

Mamoru glanced out his window. He would never survive a tumble over the edge and down the steep hillside. In an act of desperation he reached inside the pocket of his coat just as his car left the road.

The large truck pulled over and came to an abrupt stop. The man inside got out, pulling his raincoat closed. He watched with satisfaction as the van rolled end over end to the bottom of the deep ravine. It landed on its roof, twisted and bent. Smoke wafted up the hill from under the hood. With a flash and a blast that rattled the window of the truck, the van exploded.

The Hitman gave a crooked grin. There was no way Chiba could have survived that. He lifted his hand to reach into his jacket for his cell phone. From behind him, a rose with a stem sharper than a katana appeared to impaled his hand. He shouted in pain, grabbing for his bleeding palm.

As he turned he saw a black shape appear out of the storm. He panicked, then stumbled backwards as what looked like demon's wings flare out behind the shape. Between one breath and the next he was lifted by his collar and yanked into the air. The hit man found himself being held by the black demon over the edge of the ravine.

His legs churned the air while he gasped in shock. The heavy rain obscured the creature's face. There were no eyes visible on that face, just a glow where the eyes should be; a glow that seemed utterly inhuman. The Hitman had killed hundreds in his line of work and thought there was nothing left in this world that could shock or frighten him anymore.

He was wrong.

The demon, no, he realized a man, a man in black tuxedo and a mask let him dangle for a long moment. The masked man's voice cut through the sounds of the storm that continued unabated. He spoke a single word,

"Why?"

The Hitman made noises like a frightened child. The man in the mask tightened his grip on the Hitman's collar.

"I said why!" The wind howled up from the ravine below, carrying smoke and the smell of metal burning. The man in the mask seemed to be a messenger from hell.

"He wants Chiba dead!" the Hitman shrieked in reply, "He didn't tell me why!"

"Who wants Chiba dead?"

"Kashu Hikaru – Kashu Hikaru from Tokyo University." The Hitman babbled, "I didn't ask why."

Without a sound Tuxedo Kamen suddenly threw the man away from him and onto the roadside behind them both. The Hitman landed hard and slid in the mud to lay on his back gasping for air. His eyes bulged with fear as the man in the cape walked slowly toward him. He towered over the frightened thug then thrust a single hand at him.

"Keys," Tuxedo Kamen hissed.

The Hitman fumbled in pocket, produced the keys and carefully dropped them in Tuxedo Kamen's outstretched hand. Leaning over the prostrate thug, Tuxedo Kamen issued a final warning.

"Chiba is alive. He will stay that way and not be bothered by you or any of your associates again. Is that clear? Because if his is bothered…"

"No, no! No more trouble, never! This is not good for business!" the

Hitman babbled. Even as tried to assure Tuxedo Kamen of his utter sincerity, the man in the mask seemed to vanish back into the storm. "Not good for business at all…"

Leaving the cowering felon in the mud, Tuxedo Kamen got into the truck and drove away as fast as he could. The rain was still coming down heavily, limiting just how fast he could go.

Some man he had never heard of before, a man named Kashu Hikaru, tried to have him killed. That man from the same University his Usako went to. Someone who worked at the University would have access to student records. That might be how the fake "Dr. Nigori" knew Usagi's name.

Mamoru was cold, soaked from head to toe, but the fire in his heart burned hot and fast. Mamoru intended to have a long, detailed talk with one Kashu Hikaru.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

If there was anything more boring than statistics, Usagi had yet to find it. In fact the whole subject should be declared a safe and non-narcotic sleep aide, Usagi thought as she tried to concentrate on the numbers in the book before her. Mamo-chan was doing his clinic work today. That meant it would be evening before he came to pick her up and she'd be here at the library for hours yet.

She gave a wide yawn and looked out at the storm. Such a dark, rainy afternoon made her even sleepier. The combination of precipitation and percentages overcame her and she lay her head down on her arms to "rest" her eyes for a few minutes.

Deeply asleep, she didn't notice as the other students around her left, one by one. An hour passed, then two, but the brutally somnambulant power of statistics caused the young woman continued to sleep. By the time seven in the evening rolled around she was the only one on that floor of the library.

Kashu Hikaru waited as the other students left. Now that Chiba must be out of the way, he was willing to show some patience. He needed to discuss several things with Tsukino Usagi; things that he didn't want anyone else to hear. After the last student had left, Kashu sat in the semi darkness until he was very sure that no one else was there.

She was still sleeping on top of the book as he came up behind her. Her sunshine hair was up in that very strange style she liked to wear. The hair that fell from the buns cascaded over her still form, covering her like a sheer veil. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he leaned toward her ear and kissed it.

"Mamo-chan…" Usagi murmured happily and cracked open her eyes. They focused on the man above her she jerked upright. "You're not…! Get away, hentai!"

The man merely smirked, "I'm sorry, Usagi, did I startle you? Oh, that's right," he continued, smirking when the comprehension began to dawn in Usagi's eyes, "You like to be called 'Serenity' now and then, don't you?"

"I know you," she said in a flat voice. "You're that guy who called himself Dr. Nigori!" Usagi glanced around the room for the nearest door. He followed her line of sight and moved himself between where she sat and the fastest venue of escape.

Kashu laughed and folded his arms across his chest. "What's much more important is that I know you, Usagi. Or should I call you Sailor Moon? It doesn't really matter since they're both you."

Usagi stopped the hand that had reached automatically for her locket.

_'Me, Sailor Moon? Are you crazy?_' she was going to say, _'do I look like Sailor Moon'_, but decided not to. One of these days she was going to have cut her hair.

"Let's not play that game shall we? I have pictures of you changing into that winged freak. It's from the other day when all your Sailor friends helped you. 'Serenity – I thought I had lost you my love.' That was what he said to you, right? I have all of that on film."

"The day you drugged and nearly killed me," snapped Usagi. "That might get you some time in prison."

Kashu appeared unimpressed. "That was your fault. If you were the human you pretend to be you wouldn't have reacted like that to a very commonly used sedative."

Usagi's face turned red from embarrassment at the intrusion on a private moment, and in anger. "What are talking you about?" She suddenly rose from her chair. "This is over. I am so out of here." Abandoning her books, she took her purse and started to leave.

Before Usagi got more than a few feet Kashu's voice filled her ears, "Fine, then I'll go to the media with my tape. By morning the whole world will know who and just what you really are."

Usagi stopped and slowly turned to look at him. "What do you want?"

Giving her his most charming smile, Kashu strolled towards her. Usagi found herself instinctively backing away from him. "I want you, of course, you and the other Senshi. The power that you have is extraordinary. I want to learn to use it."

Usagi bumped into the wall in back of her and realized she had no place left to go. "No, you want to learn to control others with it. My power comes from love. That's something you don't understand."

Kashu put his arms against the wall on either side of Usagi, effectively pinning her there. He gave a skeptical laugh, "So beautiful, so naïve… Power is meant to be used and people like me know how to do it best."

He leaned forward until his face was inches from her. Despite herself Usagi gave a shiver of revulsion. "Forget about Chiba. I don't know what he does for you…" Kashu whispered in her ear. His hand slithered up her body to grasped one of her breasts, "…but I can do it so much better, Serenity."

Usagi pushed him away from her with a shout, "Don't touch me!" Anger flooded her and she slapped his face so hard her hand stung.

The man in front of her changed in the blink of an eye. The smooth charm faded and rage suffused the handsome face. He drew back his arm in a wide arc, intending to strike her.

The blow never came. Mamoru was suddenly there and grabbing him by the arm, tossed Kashu to the floor. In an instant he had a knee on the man's chest, his forearm pressed against Kashu's throat. The other man's eyes went wide with shock at the sight of Mamoru.

"You are a dead man," growled Mamoru. He started to pound at whatever part of Kashu he could reach. Mamoru's fist was like a pile driver, smooth, deadly and relentless. Kashu's nose shattered in two blows. Blood flowed down his face and he screamed in pain, but Mamoru was beyond hearing his cries for mercy.

"Mamo-chan, no!" Usagi's voice penetrated the haze of insane anger that controlled Mamoru. "Stop, please, stop!" She clutched at his arm, panic in her voice, "You'll kill him!"

Mamoru stopped hitting Kashu. Still on his knees, he took the man by the shirt front with both hands and pulled him off the floor. Mamoru was still shaking with anger, his breath coming in jagged gasps of rage. "I will see you rot in prison for what you've done, you worthless piece of…"

Kashu's face was starting to swell from the beating. "I know about your girl friend, Chiba. I know she's Sailor Moon," he managed to say. "Let me go or I'll tell the world everything."

Mamoru threw him back to the floor in disgust. "You're a bad liar, Kashu."

Kashu shook his head, "I have proof, pictures and blood work. She's not human Chiba. Did you know that? Your lover isn't human!" The ghost of a smirk flickered on his battered face, "It's your choice. Do you let me go, or do I tell everything?"

"He said had a camera going the other day," Usagi was crying now, "He filmed me when I transformed."

The fear in Usagi's voice reached Mamoru's heart. With effort, he banked the fires of rage that burned in his soul. Mamoru rose from the floor and went to where Usagi stood. She threw her arms around him, oblivious to the blood that stained his shirt and hands.

"I'll not say a word about any of this," Kashu said, "You have my promise on that."

"I want to leave, Mamo-chan," Usagi cried, burying her face in his chest, "Please, I just want to get out of here!"

"All right, Usako, we'll go." Mamoru glanced once at Kashu, "As of this moment, any plans you had are over. Oh, and if you go anywhere near Usagi again, know that I will kill you. Do you understand?"

Kashu watched them leave. He lay on the cold floor for a moment and then painfully lurched to his feet. A hand went to his face and he spit a loose tooth into it. The sight of the broken tooth seemed to bring him out of his shock.

"This isn't over, Chiba. Not by a long shot."

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Mamoru told Usagi about Kashu's part in the attempt on his life as they drove to a quiet park that overlooked Tokyo bay. When they arrived the rain still fell lightly, but neither of them cared. If nothing else it would help to give them some privacy. Together they walked to meager refuge given by the canopy a large tree. In the gathering darkness of the evening, they held each other silently.

The rain slowed down, then finally stopped. One storm, at least, was over for now. The streetlamps came one by one and still they stayed together, unwilling or unable to leave the timeless shelter of their love for each other.

The light from the city obscured what few stars could be seen through the low clouds. Usagi lifted her eyes to dim light from a half moon. The part of her that was the last princess of the Silver Millennium longed to go home.

"What happens now, Mamo-chan?"

"I don't know," he replied, "But whatever it is, we'll face it together."

"He said I'm not human. That can't be true, can it?" Usagi asked softly.

Mamoru gave a snort of derision, "Kashu also said he won't release that tape. I don't believe that either."

"He can't do that!" Usagi appeared outraged at the idea. "You can go to the police and have him arrested. That jerk tried to have you killed!"

Taking Usagi's hand in his, Mamoru led her to a bench under a light. "There's no hard proof that can link Kashu to that thug who ran me off the road, Usako. No, right now all we have is a kind of stalemate. Eventually, he'll get up the nerve to go to the press with what he has.

But…" Mamoru put a finger to her lips as she started to protest, "We have time before that happens. Tomorrow we'll have a meeting and discuss this with the others."

Usagi leaned into Mamoru for support. "I have to tell my parents before someone else does."

"We'll do it together first thing tomorrow morning," said Mamoru. He put an arm around her, "For now, let me take you home."

"I want to stay with you tonight, Mamo-chan." She raised her cerulean blue eyes to him, and Mamoru almost lost himself within them.

"I want that more than anything, my love…" he started.

Usagi sighed in defeat as she finished the sentence. "But my parents would go ballistic."

Mamoru managed to laugh. "Usako, there are very few things I truly fear in this life, but your father on the war path is one of them."

Still holding hands they headed for Mamoru's car. "So what else that scares you as badly as my father?" she asked.

"If you must know, clowns." Mamoru said as he assisted her into her seat and closed the door.

"Let me get this straight. You've fought monsters, wackos from the future and a member of the Yakuza, but a man with a red nose and big hair scares you?"

"Yep," he replied as he popped into his seat and turned over the engine. "Keep my secret?"

Usagi gave him a sad smile that made his heart ache, "Forever, my love, forever."

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Usagi was able to keep a smile on her face as she gave her parents a quick goodnight kiss. Even though Usagi wasn't a little girl anymore, her mother and father still waited up for her when she was out with Mamoru. She almost broke down when her mother had, as mothers often do, seen that something was not quite right with her daughter.

"I'm okay, Mom," she managed to say lightly, "Just really tired. I'm going to go to bed." Placing a tender kiss on her mother's forehead, she trotted up stairs to her room.

Closing the door behind her, Usagi slipped to floor and began to weep. She grabbed a pillow off her bed and pulled it her face to smother any sound she might make. Sitting in the dark, Usagi mourned for what she had almost lost and what she was about to lose.

"Usagi..?"

Usagi pulled the pillow away to see a glowing pair of eyes across the room. Luna hopped down from the windowsill and ran to where her princess sat huddled on the floor. Usagi picked up the lunar cat in her arms and held her close.

"Don't ask Luna. Please, please, don't ask," she whispered. "I can't talk about it right now. Just stay with me, ne?"

Carrying Luna in her arms, Usagi went to her bed and lay down. Luna curled up beside her purring unspoken support. The window was open, and the night air still smelled of rain and damp earth. Usagi stared at the distant moon as she lay on the bed, so tired yet unable to sleep because of what lay ahead.

In the morning, she was going to tell her parents the truth and nothing would ever be the same again.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

In a small computer room at the studio of Tokyo's largest television station two men sat in silence. The first was utterly enthralled by what he saw on the small flickering screen in front of him. Talking was painful for the other, having had his nose broken in two places, then set.

"My God, Hikaru-kun, do you know what you have here?" said the man who watched the screen. "This is the biggest story of the year. Hell, this is the biggest story of the millennium! How did you get this?"

"Just being in the right place at the right time," responded Kashu

disingenuously. "There's more to this story than what you see on this tape, Yoshi." He reached for the briefcase at his side. Producing a large folder, he tossed it on the desk.

Yoshi opened it and looked at the charts and lab tests inside it. Being a newsman, not a scientist, he was lost. "What is this?"

Kashu sat back with a smug smile on his face, "That my friend, is proof positive that Sailor Moon and probably the rest of her Senshi companions are much more than appear."

"It's proof that the Tsukino girl isn't human."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Next: Chapter Four, "Truth and Consequences."


	5. Chaper Four - "Turth and Consequences"

This story is rated PG-13.

I should take a moment to give a brief explanation of a created character you'll read about in this story. Lorilei is the re-born twin of Setsuna. Before you go screaming for the back button, please be aware that she's not an all-powerful author avatar or a Mary-Sue (a character universally and rightly loathed by readers everywhere). I use Lorilei for two reasons. First, she gives the less than chatty Setsuna someone to talk to freely. The second is normally to do a little comic relief. In this chapter her brief appearance allows me to introduce a plot point that has ramifications beyond this story.

Standard Disclaimer: And now a brief poetic interlude….

Sailor Moon and her friends I don't own.

But Lawyers, please leave me alone.

Do not take me to court,

Cause my cash flow is short

And you just can't get blood from a stone

"Fatal Exposure"

By Meara

Chapter Four – "Truth and Consequences"

A glance at the clock on her nightstand told Usagi that it was time to go downstairs. It was nearly six and Mamoru would be here any moment. As much as she wanted to stay in her room and hide, that just wasn't an option.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you when you tell your Mom and Dad?" Luna asked from where she sat on Usagi's bed. "It might go easier if I'm there to help explain."

Usagi finished running a brush through her long, loose, hair. She hadn't put it up in the "odongos" today. She was much too nervous to get it to come out right and so had opted for a simple headband to keep it out of her eyes.

"Thanks anyway, Luna but starting the conversation out with a talking cat might be too much for my Mom and Dad first thing in the morning. Why don't let me soften them up a little first. I should probably make sure they've had their coffee before you start to talk to them."

Luna didn't appear convinced by Usagi's argument. "Well, I'll wait just outside the kitchen. Call me in if you need me."

As she walked slowly down the stairs, Usagi once again rehearsed the various speeches she'd come up with as she'd lain awake in the wee hours of the night.

"I'm Sailor Moon, Mom and Dad." Usagi grimaced and tried a different, lighter tone, "Guess what, I'm Sailor Moon!" She shook her head, not liking the way that phrase sounded any better than the first.

Usagi decided to try it one more time, "I am Sailor Moon," she said in slow cadence. It unfortunately made her sound like she was talking to either a child or someone with an IQ of about room temperature.

She could hear Mamoru's car pull into the driveway as she realized that was just no good way to say this sort of thing. Usagi opened the door and watched Mamoru walk toward her. The sun was coming up in back of him, silhouetting him with gentle golden light. The sight of him made her heart do flip-flops in her chest. Usagi silently wondered if the day would ever come when she wouldn't react like this to seeing Mamoru. She hoped not.

He took her hand as they went inside together. He could feel her shaking with tension. "Nervous?"

Usagi gave a short bark of jittery laughter. "Why would I be nervous, Mamo-chan? I'm just about to tell the people who wouldn't let me cross the street by myself until I was ten that, I've been fighting the most powerful villains in the universe on a fairly regular basis."

He pulled Usagi to him and enveloped her in his arms, not fooled by her attempt at humor. Usagi sighed and let herself draw comfort from him. Mamoru rested his chin on the top of her head until she finally stopped shaking.

"It's going to be okay, Usako. Whatever happens, we'll face it…" Mamoru took her face in his hands and gently kissed her, "…together.

"You know, it's a good thing that your father isn't here to see this," came the voice of Usagi's Mother.

The two pulled apart in record time and both blushed. "What do you mean Dad isn't here?" said Usagi as her mother's words finally sunk in. Oh damn, she only wanted to have to do this once!

"He left at four-thirty this morning for a meeting in Osaka. Good morning Mamoru. Would you like to join us for breakfast?" Ikuko gave him a suspicious glance as she moved to the refrigerator.

All of Usagi's carefully prepared speeches went out the window. Taking a deep breath she forced herself to speak slowly. "Mamo-chan and I have something to tell you."

This caught her mother's full attention and she shut the refrigerator door. Ikuko indicated that they should sit down at the kitchen table with a curt gesture.

"All right" she said with a carefully neutral voice, "What is it?"

Usagi and Mamoru looked at each other, waiting for the other to speak first.

"Well?" asked Ikuko with growing anxiety, "Just tell me, ne?"

There was no gentle way to do this, Usagi suddenly knew. She reached for Mamoru's hand as she said, "Mom, I'm Sailor Moon."

Usagi's mother craned her head forward, "…and?"

"Isn't that enough?!" Usagi blurted out, "Didn't you hear me, Mom? I-am-Sailor-Moon."

Ikuko let out the breath she'd been holding in a loud sigh. "Oh, thank God that's all it is," she said, surprising the two young people across the table from her. "I thought you were going to tell me you're pregnant!"

Mamoru thought that, perhaps, she was in shock. "Tsukino-san, do you understand what Usagi just said to you?"

Ikuko laughed, much to Mamoru's surprise. "Yes, of course. She's Sailor Moon. Her father and I all ready know that. Mamoru, I'm making pancakes, would you like some?"

"Yes, thank you," he replied politely, more than a little confused.

"You know?" Usagi shouted at her mother as the woman got up and started to collect the necessary ingredients. "How long have you known? How did you find out? Why didn't you tell me you knew?!"

Ikuko measured out the flour as she spoke. "I realized you were Sailor Moon the first time I saw pictures of her on television. For some reason they never seem to be able to get a good picture of your face."

"Then how did you know?" Mamoru asked.

"Mamoru, dear, I'm her mother. I've been watching her since she was born. Usagi's body mechanics are somewhat unusual, as I'm sure you've noticed. She used to fall down a lot when she was a little girl. I've always thought that's because her father insisted that she use her right hand instead the left hand she naturally does. Anyway, I when saw Sailor Moon move in exactly the same way, I knew it had to be her."

"Why didn't you tell me you knew?" asked Usagi. This conversation wasn't even remotely going the way it was supposed to.

Ikuko cracked the eggs into the mixture. "We figured you'd tell us when you were ready. To be honest, I was very concerned about your safety, but Mamoru… " she paused beating the batter and looked at Mamoru, "…That is you in the cape isn't it?" Ikuko continued when nodded mutely, "Mamoru seems to be doing a very good job of protecting you. For goodness sake Usagi, why do think your father has always been so dead set against your seeing Mamoru? Every time you two were off together he imagined that you were in some kind of danger."

"I thought it was because he doesn't like me," mumbled Mamoru.

"It's not really that, Mamoru." smiled the woman, "It's just that every father wants to be the only hero in his daughter's life and well, you cut quite the dashing figure in that tuxedo. Please call me 'Mom' or 'Ikuko'. It seems silly to be so formal, doesn't it?"

You know," Usagi repeated to herself. "You've known for years."

"Ikuko-mama" said Mamoru, choosing the middle road, "You must have questions about all of this."

The griddle hissed as she poured some of the batter on it. "More than you can imagine. I don't suppose you'd be willing to answer some of those questions now, would you?"

Usagi shook her head to clear it. "Well, there is someone who can tell you everything you'd ever want to know. Luna?"

Luna, who'd been sitting out of sight just around the corner, padded regally into the kitchen. With delicate, precise steps, she walked toward Usagi's mother. Ikuko watched her with spatula in hand.

"Luna," Usagi said. "Would you please answer a few questions for my mother?"

"Certainly. Why don't I start at the beginning?" She sat in the middle of the floor with her long, black tail curled primly around her body. "I am Luna, guardian and advisor to Princess Serenity."

Ikuko never took her eyes off the cat. Inching along the edge of the counters, Ikuko came to where Usagi and Mamoru sat. Still staring at Luna, she gently leaned over. Her eyes were wide and blinked at irregular intervals.

"Usagi, dear," she said to her daughter. "Is the cat talking? That's amazing!"

Luna continued, undaunted. "The story begin one thousand years ago when the Moon still had it's Kingdom. It was a time known as the Silver Millennium."

"No Mom, getting her to talk is the easy part. It's getting her to stop that's truly amazing."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Yamamoto Jiro had watched the tape at least a hundred times by now. Like any responsible newsman, he'd immediately sent it down to be assessed. More than one person had ruined their career by jumping on a story that later turned out to be a hoax. Jiro hadn't gotten to be the senior investigative reporter of Tokyo's largest TV station by being stupid. If the tape was a fake or altered in some way, his people in the lab would find out.

He'd also gotten to the pinnacle of his profession by listening to the little voice inside him. That little voice was shouting in alarm as he looked out the door of his office at the man who'd brought the tape to a junior colleague. Kashu Hikaru was just too smooth, too polished, and too damned altruistic to be for real.

Then there was the fact that his face looked like someone had been using it for a punching bag. Kashu had brushed aside Jiro's questions on that front. Yamamotto knew, without being able to tell you exactly _how_ he knew, that this Kashu had a private agenda and that was invariably dangerous.

The phone on his desk gave a jarring ring that brought Jiro back to the real world. "Moshi, moshi?"

"Yamamotto-sama? This is Takei in the lab. We have the results on that tape you sent us."

The moment of truth had arrived, Jiro mused. "And?"

There was an uncomfortable pause on the other end. "It's the real thing, sir. We've run it through every test we can think of and a few that we'd never tried before but the tape keeps coming back as real."

"You're sure?" Yamamotto repeated. He clicked on the small tape recorder attached to his telephone. If sometime went wrong, he might need it cover his own butt. "You're positive that the tape hasn't been doctored or altered in some way?"

The man on the other end sounded nervous. "As sure as we can be. If this tape is a fake, it's better than anything I've ever seen."

"Arigatto, Takei-san. I trust your judgment. Please bring the tape back up to my office at once. Oh, and do it yourself. I don't want to take a chance on anything happening to it."

As he hung up the phone, Jiro was still disturbed by the thought of airing this information. With a shake of his head, he pushed the thought aside. This was the biggest story to cross his desk in fifty years.

By being the first man to broadcast the news he'd have a share in the fame that went with it. His face and voice would go into the history archives along the likes of Edward R. Murrough, broadcasting from London during the blitz, and Walter Cronkite telling the world that an American president had been shot and killed in Dallas, Texas. It was a turning point in the history of mankind. So why was he so uncomfortable with it? This was a decision for the station owners to make, and for once Yamamotto Jiro was glad they didn't ask his opinions anymore.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

First Mamoru, then Usagi told Rei, Ami and Makoto about what the man called Kashu Hikaru had done and what he threatened to do. As they finished the tale, the only sound that could be heard was that of the sacred fire popping as one of the larger logs within it collapsed into the inferno.

Rei started at the sound and turned her head to look at the fire. Kashu Hikaru, the name meant "Bearer of the Light of Chaos". The meanings of her wild, jumbled visions in the flames became painfully clear to her. Makoto was the first to recover her voice.

"I say we find this man and pound him into sushi. It'll be really hard for him to tell anyone anything with his jaw wired shut!" Makoto was so delightfully direct at times.

Luna sat next to Artemis for comfort. "Perhaps we could reason with him?"

"Or at least, get that tape away from him?" added Artemis.

Ami shook her head slowly. "I don't think we can count on Kashu being as stupid as we'd like him to be. He's probably made several copies by now."

Mamoru sat by Usagi. His arms were folded across his chest. All in all, he presented the perfect picture of thoughtful, suppressed anger. "Kashu is ruthless, morally bankrupt and totally without any kind of ethics beyond what is good for himself. He will use that tape and soon I fear."

"What bothers me most right now is what we don't know," said Ami softly. Part of the problem with having a quick mind was that she was able to see where things were headed before everyone else.

Mamoru nodded his head at her, "Exactly. He knows Usagi is Sailor Moon but does he know who the other Senshi really are?"

"If he does, he never let on, at least to me." Usagi looked down at the floor in shame. "He may have had other things on his mind right then. Kashu did say that wants to control our power."

"What happened isn't your fault, Usagi," Rei said to her in a surprisingly gentle voice. "Men like that pig, try to take what they want."

The pounding of feet caught everyone's attention. Right on the heels of the sound came a hurried knock on the door of Rei's room. Even as the Priestess went to answer it, the door slid open to reveal a tall ,young woman with long green hair pulled back in a braid.

"Setsuna?" asked Ami, not sure that this was indeed the Senshi of Pluto. The face was thinner, the cheekbones more prominent and the woman's movements lacked the confidence Setsuna always seemed to exude.

"No," Luna immediately spoke up sharply. "This is Lorilei. Why are you here? What's wrong?"

"I'm so sorry to barge in this way, but your telephone isn't working," the woman gasped as she bent over trying to catch her breath. "Got here as fast I could," she huffed, "Ran all the way from the bus stop. Do you have a television? Please, turn it on!"

Rei scrambled to turn on the small set she kept in a corner of the room. Her dislike of television was well known to her friends. Despite the thin layer of dust on the mostly ignored appliance, it came grudgingly to life. There was a man with graying hair looking intently into the camera. In the left corner of the picture a videotape was running.

It showed Usagi transforming first into Eternal Sailor Moon, then into Princess Serenity and then back into Usagi.

"The young woman is identified as Tsukino Usagi of the Juban district of Tokyo. As this video, which has been authenticated by the finest technicians available shows, Ms. Tsukino is the mysterious figure known as 'Sailor Moon.'"

Lorilei was still breathing heavily from her mad dash to the temple. "It's on every channel. It started about half an hour ago and has been playing continuously."

"Oh God…" mumbled Usagi as she watched herself on the small television. "I'm on TV and I'm as good as naked at one point. My Dad is going to go crazy!"

"It gets worse, I'm afraid," said Lorilei. "There's a man named Kashu who comes on and says…Oh, here he is!"

"…Dr. Kashu Hikaru from the Human Genome Project and the owner of this film. Thank you for joining us Dr. Kashu. You say there's more to this story?"

"Much more." Although he'd had a great deal of makeup applied to his face, the Kashu's nose was swollen and large dark bruises surrounded his eyes. Mamoru took little satisfaction in the pain the man must be experiencing. "I have hard proof that this young woman, this Tsukino Usagi, isn't really human. She is, at the very least, a human hybrid of some sort, or more likely, an extraterrestrial."

Yamamotto cut him off, "Are you saying that this Sailor Moon is an alien?"

Kashu gave a sage nod of his head. "Yamamotto-san, that's exactly what I am saying."

"Kami-sama have mercy!" said Rei as she turned the volume down slightly, "He thinks Usagi is an alien? This guy is fruit loops!"

Mamoru pushed the anger and shock he was feeling down into a small space inside him. Usagi sat beside him much too quietly. "We need everyone here as fast as possible."

Makoto looked at her watch. "Minako should be on a plane over the pacific right about now. She's supposed to land in Tokyo in a few hours. Are Michiru and Haruka still in Paris? What about Setsuna?"

Lorilei discreetly cleared her throat and raised a tentative hand to catch their attention. "Excuse me, but I've all ready…contacted Setsuna. She's going to try to use the Timegate to collect the others and get them here."

Luna's ears pinned straight back against her head in surprise. "She's not supposed to do that! It's much too dangerous."

Lorilei raised a single eyebrow at the lunar cat, looking very like her sister for a moment. "I trust that Setsuna knows what she's doing, Luna. If you feel that strongly about it, you can take it up with her when she gets here." As she finished speaking, the young woman moved her head slightly, as if hearing something the others could not.

A brilliant, silver light filled the small room, blinding everyone for a moment. When the light faded Setsuna, Senshi of Pluto stood beside a glowing door. Pluto placed a single hand on it and the doors opened very slowly. A luminous mist flowed from it. Within the temporal fog three shapes took form. The mists faded and Minako, Haruka and Michiru walked into the Hikawa temple.

"What a ride," smiled Haruka, "Better than 'Space Mountain' at Disney."

Michiru looked slightly green around the edges, "And just as likely to make me loose my lunch."

Setsuna, now looking very pale and sweating visibly, raised her staff, then brought it to the floor with a thud that rang through everyone's mind.

"Pluto Timegate, close!" she whispered the words and the great door shifted to a silver fog that ran into her body.

Minako broke the silence that had descended on the room's occupants, "Fly Pluto airlines when it absolutely, positively has to be there before it even left," she said in her best announcer voice. "Now, what's all this about some moron knowing that Usagi-chan is Sailor Moon?"

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The story was first aired in Japan. Then, as it hit the satellite relays, the international community picked it up. Within two hours the videotape was being shown in over fifty countries. The world slowed then stopped, held spellbound by the first verified pictures of an extraterrestrial.

In the blink of an eye, a young blonde woman from Tokyo became the most sought after person in the world. Emergency meetings were held by every major news organization on the planet. Senior Mangers told their staff the same thing. Find Tsukino Usagi and get the exclusive rights to her story, no matter what it took to do so.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hotaru had been left with a friend of Minako's from Scotland. The shy teen would be much better off away from Tokyo until things calmed down a little. Hotaru had, in true sixteen year old form, fallen desperately in love with the tall, dark, muscular Highlander at first sight. Haruka had been reluctant to leave her behind until she met Duncan. Even the notoriously difficult to impress Sailor Uranus was satisfied when she saw how he handled a blade.

"Trust me," Minako had laughed. "If there's one person in this world who understands what it's like to have everyone want your head, it's Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod!"

"What's this nonsense about Usagi not being human? It's bad enough that this Kashu has a tape of her henshin but to claim she's an alien goes way beyond the pale." Haruka's tone implied that she agreed with Makoto that pounding Kashu into sushi sounded like a very good idea.

Setsuna had found a chair in the back of the room after closing down the Timegate and collapsed into it. Lorilei silently sat in the shadows in back of her, a hand on Pluto's arm as she pushed some of own energy into the exhausted woman. Setsuna looked somewhat better now, less haggard at least.

"That claim isn't as crazy as it sounds, I'm afraid," Pluto said.

Luna moved to sit in the middle of room, Artemis beside her. With a steady voice she tried to explain the unexplainable.

"The problem is that you while you are all human, you aren't Terran human, at least not anymore. Except maybe for Mamoru-san and I'm not even sure about him now. That last night in the Moon Kingdom, do you remember what Queen Selene told you about that?"

Usagi spoke for them all. "That she sent us forward to the future, hoping to find a time and place where we could live in peace."

Luna nodded, "Exactly. She sent you forward. You and as many of the Moon Kingdom's people as she could manage. You were all broken down into your simplest forms. With the last of her strength the Queen insured that the Princess, her Senshi and the Prince would be reborn in the same part of this world. The rest were scattered, I think."

Ami put it together before anyone else. "My God, that's why we look exactly the same as we did a thousand years ago. I've always thought that it was just too big a coincidence. We literally are the same people!"

Artemis took up the tale now, "The Queen instructed the Silver Crystal to find suitable 'foster parents', ones that preferably had an ancestor that was originally from the Silver Millennium. These women would be more likely to be able to carry each of you to term."

Setsuna spoke again, "I suspect that as long as your power as Senshi slept, you remained a base line human. However, once that power was being used in your bodies, it changed you little by little," said Pluto. "Over the years, as your powers have grown the changes in you accelerated. Today you are all what you were then, children of the Silver Millennium."

Makoto gave an astonished snort, "That miserable, son of a bitch Kashu is right, then? We really aren't human?"

"We are human, Mako-chan," responded Michiru. "Just a different type of human. Our hearts haven't changed."

Haruka reached for her lifemate's hand. "Michiru is right. Some of us have never really been accepted by this society. If some people want to be blind bigots, then let them. Our true friends will stand by us."

Minako gave a bright smile. The others were unsettled by the idea of publicity, but she certainly wasn't. "The longer we let this go unanswered, the longer Kashu has to spin his side of the story. We can face this issue and come out on top. The first thing we have to do is come up with how we're going to handle the media."

"No," said Ami softly. "The first thing we have to do is talk to our families. Even if this Kashu person doesn't know who the rest of the Senshi are, now that the larger media is involved, it's only a matter of time before they figure it out. We have to tell our families about ourselves before anyone else does."

A soft knock on the door interrupted any argument before it began. The door slid open and Rei's grandfather was there with a tray of tea. He looked at the now crowded room with surprise.

"Oh, I didn't hear anyone else come in. Why don't I go and get some more tea."

Rei impulsively jumped to her feet. "No, Grandpa. I…I have something important to tell you." She glanced at her astonished friends, "Well, someone has to go first."

The old man sighed as he put the tray down. "All right, what's wrong this time?"

"Grandpa, I'm a Sailor Senshi."

This caused the old man to burst out laughing. "That's good one, Rei but I'm not about to fall for that old joke."

It's true!" replied Rei, getting a little annoyed, "I am a Sailor Senshi."

Grandpa was willing to play along with her for a minute. "Which one? The blonde with the legs that go all the way up to her neck, Venus?"

"No!" shouted Re,i really angry now, while Minako blushed to the roots of her hair. "Sailor Mars, of course! I am the Senshi of Fire, for Kami's sake!" She whipped out her henshin stick, and with a cry of "Mars Eternal Power, Make up!" transformed in a burst of flame.

Her Grandfather looked at her in the red fuku with the high heels. If he was surprised he hid it well. Tilting his head up and down, he gave her a long appraisal.

"Figures," he mumbled, then turned and left the room. "The Senshi of Fire and she can't light a stove to save her life."

"That went well," laughed Usagi. "Between your Grandfather and my folks, I'm beginning to wonder if they only secret around here is how many people know and haven't told us."

Ami was staring at the television again. "Look, why don't we all take a break and do what we need to. I have to talk to my mother and I also want to study that videotape more closely. We can meet again here at, say, four this afternoon?"

Mamoru had been more or less silent, observing intently what was going on around him. He nodded his head in agreement as he finally joined in the conversation. "That's a very good idea, Ami. I'm going to go to the hospital for my shift. Let's not change our routines too much and give ourselves away, ne?"

"Yeah," Makoto added, "Going to the restaurant and doing some baking sounds really good to me right about now. I always think better with my hands covered in flour."

Michiru reached out to gently touch Usagi on the shoulder, "Usagi-chan, why don't you come home with Haruka and I. Your house is bound to swamped by the press. It might be safer with us for now."

"I'd really rather go home," relied Usagi. She was more shaken than she was about to admit to anyone. Part of her felt a lost child. More than anything she wanted her mother to hold her and tell her that everything would be okay.

Mamoru saw what his beloved was trying so hard to hide. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Please, Usako," he whispered to her, "Go with them for me? It'll make me feel better."

Usagi never could say no to those incredible blue eyes. "Okay, for you. See you later?"

The smile that made her knees turn to jello appeared on Mamoru's face. "Just try and keep me away."

Mamoru watched the three of them disappear toward Haruka's car. He was quietly thankful for Haruka's obsessive attachment to her sports car. She'd left it here at the shrine when she and Michiru had gone on their trip rather than chance leaving it in the airport garage where it might be (horrors!) scratched. The future King of Earth wasn't comfortable with the idea of his Queen taking the bus.

As the car pulled away, Mamoru turned back to the room only to find it empty. He grimaced as he left. He'd wanted to get a few things straightened out, but knew they would have to wait until after his shift. It was going to be a long day.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Ami's mother took it a lot better than she ever dared hope for. The young woman been prepared for anything from screaming and fainting to a refusal of her mother to accept the truth. However, as Ami stood in her in the center of their living room in her incarnation as the Senshi of Mercury, her mother got that thoughtful look on her face that indicated she was trying to put all the pieces of the puzzle together.

"And you've been doing this since you were…?" Dr. Mizuno asked.

"Fourteen, but we didn't discover that Usagi was the Princess for months after we were awakened."

Ami's mother stood up (now that she was sure her legs would support her) and went to her daughter. "Amazing!" she exclaimed. "Even though I know it's you, I have a hard time looking you in the face."

Ami smiled. Much her own curiosity came from being raised by this extraordinary woman, "That's part of the magic that protects us. Queen Selene wanted to make sure we could live as normal a life as possible. This helps us to do that. At least it has, until now."

Ami's mother gave a derisive snort, "Bah, 'magic' indeed! There's no such thing as magic, dear. This is just technology that our science can't explain yet."

Letting her transformation fade, Ami gave a bright, relived laugh, "That's what I've always thought but it so much easier just accept it as magic then lose any more sleep figuring it all out."

Ami threw her arms around her mother, tears coming unexpectedly to her eyes. "Oh Mom, I was so afraid you'd hate me because of all of this."

Holding her only child close, Ami's mother made soothing noises as if her daughter was still a little one. "It's okay, hush sweetness. It's all right now."

Ami let herself be a child again for a moment. She felt so safe, so loved and warm, as if her mother's embrace truly could shield her from the world. In the years to come, Ami would remember this moment and how it made her feel.

"I will always love you," her mother whispered to her, "and nothing will ever change that, my precious girl. Nothing."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The house was empty when Minako got to it. She was surprised at first, because her parents had promised to meet her here. It was urgent and she needed to talk to them, she'd said. The note on the table in the front hall had her name scrawled across it. Minako picked it up and opened it with trembling hands.

_Dear Minako,_

_I'm sorry we missed you. Dad had a to go and smooth things over with a client and I have a tennis lesson at the club. Call us when you have a minute and we'll catch up._

_Mom_

She wasn't even aware she was crying until she saw her tears splash onto the expensive paper, making the ink run. Some things never changed, Minako thought as she threw the note away and headed for the door. All her life she'd tried so hard to win their love, but whatever she did was never enough. There was always something else that demanded their time and attention.

She stopped and shouted to the empty rooms. "Well, to hell with you, too! I am Minako, Princess of Venus and Leader of the Senshi that guard the Crown Princess of the Silver Millennium. So take your money and your old family name, roll it up really tight and stuff it. I don't want it, I don't need it and I don't need you!"

As she slammed the door behind her, Minako heard something fall and shatter. She hoped what ever had broken was expensive. That, at least, would get their attention.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Baking had not brought the usual satisfaction it did but, as always, Makoto did an expert job. The Master pastry chef she was apprenticed to said this was the best work she'd ever done. Somehow, the praise was made her feel even worse.

When she got home, Mako sat in her spotless apartment and simply stared at an old photograph of her parents. The shifting light in the room told her it was getting late, but still she sat there. The doorbell persistently ringing finally forced her to move. Still holding the faded picture, she opened the door to see Minako.

Makoto looked at her friend then at the photo in her hands and it hit her.

"I don't have anyone to tell," she said as the tears began to fall. "I don't have anyone to tell."

"I know," replied Minako, moving to comfort her friend. "I don't, either."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Mamoru looked at the piece of paper in his hand again then up at the door in front of him. He wanted to be sure that he had the right address. After all, he'd never been here before. Satisfied, he rang the bell and waited.

The door was answered promptly. The young woman gave him a startled, shy smile. "Mamoru-san! Please, come in."

"Thank you, Lorilei," replied Mamoru. "I'm sorry I didn't call first but this can't wait."

She motioned for him to sit on the couch as she went to the large piano that dominated the small living room and nervously gathered up the sheet music scattered on the floor around it. "May I offer you something, tea perhaps?"

"No, thank you," he said politely as he watched her. "It was nice to see you today. We hardly ever do. In fact, if not for hearing Setsuna occasionally say your name, I might think I'd imagined you. It almost as if you're avoiding us."

Lorilei came to sit in a chair opposite of the couch. "Well, I am concert pianist. My job keeps me on the move a lot."

Mamoru continued as if she hadn't spoken. "On those rare times when your name is mentioned, Luna and Artemis get very uncomfortable. I have to wonder why that is? You knew when Setsuna was about to appear at the temple today."

He held up a hand to forestall the argument he could see her beginning to form, "Please, I don't mean to be brusque, but I don't have to time to play word games. Who are you Lorilei?"

The shy young woman with the violet eyes looked down at the floor. She took a long, slow breath as if weighing something in her mind. "I'm not a Senshi, if that's what you're asking."

"Can you control the Timegate?" he asked bluntly.

"No," she replied at once. "The same bond that Setsuna and I share is what binds the Timegate to her. I can hear the Gate, like distant thunder but that's all. Think of me as another one of the Moon's children that the Queen sent forward on that last night. I don't have any power, but I swear to do whatever I can to protect the Princess and you."

This was less than Mamoru wanted, but fit in with what little he'd been able to pry out of Luna about Lorilei. The Prince of Earth was a good judge of character and his instincts told him that the woman in front of him could be trusted.

He rose and extended his hand. "I'll take that promise."

Lorilei shyly took it and smiled. "Remember that I'm a friend, Mamoru-san. If things go as badly in the coming days as you fear, you're going to need all the friends you can get."

Mamoru thought about their conversation while he drove to the temple. Any number of things she'd said to him gave him pause to think, but one phrase in particular stuck out. _'Think_ _of me as another one of the Moon's children that the Queen sent forward'_, she'd said. That statement made Mamoru wonder.

How many undiscovered children of the Moon were still out there?

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Next – Chapter Five – "Fame and Misfortune"


	6. Chpater Five

Have you ever noticed how a story takes on a life of its own as you write it? Take this one for example. It was supposed to run four or five chapters and have Kashu Hikaru disappear after chapter three but he's still here, creating chaos in his never-ending lust for what he wants.

That's another thing. My house is too small. When I write a story the characters seem to come and live with us for a while. It's bad enough I've had the entire Sh'Eyre Imperium here for all these years, but now the cast of "Fatal Exposure" is running loose through our home.

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or any of the attendant characters to which valid copyright laws apply. I do, however, own the characters created for this story (although I only make a passing reference to them) the Sh'Eyre, their Imperium and the way I have gates work. I think that about covers it for now.

"Fatal Exposure"

By Meara

Chapter Five – "Fame and Misfortune"

Kashu Hikaru should have been happy, but he wasn't. Just as he'd planned, the world was beating a path to his door, desperate to talk to him. At this moment he was the most famous man on Earth.

He'd managed to do what others had dreamed of for years. Kashu had hard proof that extra-terrestrials existed. What's more, he had hard proof that they were here on Earth at this moment. But as he sat in his darkened study and watched the videotape once again, he was haunted by what he saw.

She was so exquisite, so inhumanly beautiful. As she transformed into her true form, every detail of her flawless figure was visible to him. With a burst of light and she shifted into the regal woman in the white dress. Power beyond human comprehension suffused her body until she was incandescent with it.

With a flick of the remote, Kashu froze the picture at the moment the power had reached its peak and stared at the face of the woman on the screen in front of him. The ghost of a smile was on her lips, her eyes half closed and her head tilted at an angle that showed her delicate beauty at it's best.

Kashu raised the glass of wine in his hand to his face and looked at her through it. Somewhere along the line, and Kashu wasn't just sure where, a strange thing had happened. The enchanting woman with the sunshine hair became more than just a means to an end. She had became the end. She was everything he wanted in a woman and more.

The memory of Usagi in the library that afternoon filled his senses and for a moment, Kashu was overwhelmed by the thought of how close he'd been to her. He'd been a fool to let her go, to let his temper rule him after the incident with Chiba. Chiba; the name made Kashu's blood boil. He was going to settle his account with Chiba Mamoru and soon.

Kashu downed the rest of the wine in a single gulp. There had to be a way to get Serenity back under his control. He raised the now empty glass to the picture of the woman in front of him.

"I will have you again, Serenity. I want you, and I always get what I want." He said more to himself than to her image.

"Always."

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"Mamo-chan, help me!"

Mamoru ran through the gray mists that surrounded him, panic rising in his heart. No matter how fast he ran Mamoru couldn't get to Usagi. She was always just ahead of him, just beyond his reach, a form outlined in the mist. He ran until his lungs burned and his heart threatened to burst. When he began to lose hope of ever finding Usagi, the fog finally parted and he saw her.

Usagi struggled in the arms of man whose face he couldn't see. As Mamoru shouted her name the faceless stranger produced a blade. The dagger blade was plunged into Usagi's heart and she gave a scream of fear and pain that ripped at his soul.

The man vanished like the mist around them. Mamoru reached his beloved as she began to fall to the ground. With Usagi cradled in his arms, he went to his knees. A stain in the shape of a red rose blossomed on her spotless white dress. Usagi's life was bleeding away while she looked up at him with disappointed eyes.

"I needed you, Mamo-chan," she whispered with her last breath, "Why didn't you save me?"

"No! Don't leave me, Usako!" Mamoru shouted as the light faded from her eyes, "Usako!

U-SA-KO!"

Mamoru woke with a gasp, his heart pounding in his chest. He blinked his eyes several times as the nightmare lingered unpleasantly in his mind.

"Mamo-chan?" Usagi's voice was thick with sleep, "Are you okay?"

She rolled over and snuggled up next to him. With relief Mamoru slipped his arms around her and pulled her close. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Just a dream, Usako. Go back to sleep."

As the woman he loved slipped back into slumber, Mamoru silently held her. That he was having this dream again was a sign that he was deeply troubled about what was going on. While most of the time Mamoru was very good at ignoring the fears and insecurities that plagued him The loss from two lifetimes had left him deeply scarred.

Although Mamoru would never admit it, his biggest fear was being left all alone, yet again. That was what this dream was all about. Usagi would be gone and he'd be left with nothing but dreams of a shattered future and an empty, aching void in his soul that would never heal. Having her next to him like this helped more than he could ever say.

It had been impossible for Usagi to go home after the meeting at Rei's had ended. The media had surrounded the small Tsukino home in Juban. There was no way Usagi could have gotten through that crowd.

With an assurance from Luna that she'd tell Usagi's parents that their daughter was staying with "a friend" (although from the look on the cat's face, she knew exactly how "friendly" Mamoru intended to be) he and Usagi had come here. This wasn't how he'd planned on them spending their first night together but right now he didn't care. Mamoru placed a feather light kiss on Usagi's forehead as she slept.

Part of what he loved so much about her was his Usako's willingness to see the good in people. Unfortunately, Mamoru feared that her good heart would not serve her well this time. He knew all from bitter experience that the world could be a dangerous and cruel place.

There would always be soulless creatures like this Kashu Hikaru who didn't care how many were hurt or killed as long as they got what he wanted. That was how Metallia had risen to power so long ago, by playing on the basest emotions mankind was capable of.

Mamoru held his beloved close and prayed that Mankind had changed enough in the thousand years since he'd been the last Crown Prince of Earth to prevent history from repeating itself.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

It had been quite late by the time the afternoon meeting at Rei's temple had broken up. They'd spent more than a few hours discussing what should be done in increasingly heated tones. When all was said and done there were two camps among the Senshi. The first wanted to confront the press and the second wanted to ignore the press. Even Luna and Artemis had been divided by that particular argument. Luna thought it best to deny everything while Artemis was ready to book Usagi on Larry King Live.

Makoto had offered to let Minako stay her at her place and she'd gratefully accepted. The thought of going home to an empty apartment was too painful for Makoto and Minako didn't want to have to face her parents right now. She was still much too angry with them to be able to have a rational conversation about being Sailor Venus.

Exhausted from the long day and emotional day, Minako was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Tomorrow, at least, was Saturday, Minako thought as she collapsed into the bed. She could sleep in for a change and Mako had promised to make her favorite breakfast. The prospect of fresh blueberry pancakes warmed Minako's heart as she drifted off into blissful slumber.

The sun wasn't even up before the noise awoke the Princess of Venus. There was persistent metallic whine that filled the room around her. Minako was so tired that she managed to incorporate the sound into her dream at first but it was just too bizarre for her to ignore for long.

Slowly opening her eyes, Minako glanced at the clock by the couch bed. The neon red three inch high numbers gave the pitiless news that it only five thirty in the morning.

The annoying whining noise filled the room again. Artemis grumbled but didn't awaken as Minako rolled out of the bed. She moved on unsteady legs toward the window and snapped up the shade, intending to see what was causing the racket. As she did so, Minako found herself face to face with a man standing outside the window.

Since Makoto's apartment was on the third floor it was something of a shock. Minako shrieked, stumbled backwards and tripped over a chair to land on the floor with a resounding thud.

"Hello, Ms. Kino," the man (who Minako finally noticed was standing a cherry picker) said in a conversational tone, "I'm with the BBC. I understand that you are a friend of Usagi Tsukino and we'd like very much to make you an offer for your story."

"Umm, I'm not Ms. Kino." Minako replied as calmly as she could before shouting, "Mako-chan! There's a man at the window here to see you!"

Mako had been alerted by Minako's shout of surprise and ran into the living room armed with a broom.

"Hello, Kino-san" the man in the bucket repeated as he gave Mako a short bow. "I'm with the BBC. I understand that you are a long time friend of Usagi Tsukino and we'd like to make you an offer for your story."

"And I'd like to ram this broom right up your sinuses, which is what I'm going to do if you don't get the hell away from my window before I count to five!" Makoto brandished the broom like it was a baseball bat. "One…"

The man in the cherry picker fumbled into his pocket for a second, "Here's my card. Call me!"

"Two, three…" Makoto deliberately spit into each of her palms, and then took a stance like a Johnny Damon as she continued to her count. She left the impression that she was going to hit the newsman's head all the way to China if she had the chance. "…Four…"

As the bucket, and the man in it, moved away grudgingly, Mako looked pleased with herself. Are you okay, Minako?" she asked her friend.

Minako stumbled to her feet then fell back onto the bed with a bounce. Artemis finally stirred and gave a long feline stretch. "What's going on?" he asked through half closed eyes, "Did I hear voices?"

Minako reached over and gave him a pat on the head, "My hero."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The hospital had been amazingly understanding about Mamoru needing to take a little unscheduled vacation time. After telling them that his fiancée was Tsukino Usagi, the woman whose face was just about everywhere, they happily agreed that having him at work right nowmight be disruptive. Geraldo Rivera from Fox News had all ready found out that Mamoru worked at Tokyo General. He and a camera crew were milling restlessly about already making nuisances of themselves.

Usagi announced that she wanted a shower. While she did that Mamoru diligently went around the apartment making sure that the window shades were indeed closed, double checking the lock on the door and taking the battery out of his cell phone. He half listened to the television. A small panel of so-called experts was discussing Usagi.

"Although his research was somewhat crude, Dr. Kashu is essentially correct in ascertaining the alien origins of Ms. Tsukino." One of the "experts" stated in a pompous tone, "She is undoubtedly of non-human ancestry."

The white haired man next to him nodded vigorously, "It would be very interesting to find out if it is possible for beings like this 'Sailor Moon' to breed successfully with humans. We could have a multitude of extraterrestrial hybrids within the population right now and not know it. The first task is to identify them and then research the changes the alien DNA …"

"No, no," interrupted another man, "the first task is to establish a dialogue with these aliens. We need to open diplomatic and friendly relations with them!"

The sound died away as Mamoru turned the machine off. "What a bunch of morons," he mumbled mostly to himself.

"Oh Mamo-chan…" came Usagi's voice from in back of him.

Mamoru turned to see Usagi standing in the door to bathroom wearing nothing but a small towel and an inviting smile. He dropped the remote, his fingers going numb as the blood rushed to his head. Usagi leaned back against the doorframe.

"Want to open friendly relations with me?"

Mamoru grabbed at his shirt and yanked it over his head. "I suppose I could be talked into it. After all, you extra-terrestrials need to be researched and studied."

Usagi walked slowly toward him. She innocently raised her face to him, "And you're willing to do some boring old research just to better humanity? I am deeply touched by your selfless nature."

Mamoru swept her off her feet in a single, smooth motion. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he smiled at her, "Usako, it's not my selfless nature that's about to touch you deeply."

She exploded into laughter and together they fell onto the bed behind them. Mamoru pulled Usagi into a slow, deep kiss that left them both breathless. As they lost themselves in each other, Usagi became aware of loud beeping from the nightstand beside them.

Mamoru was kissing her neck, slowly making his way down her body as the beeping became even louder.

"Mamo-chan…"

He either didn't hear the noise or was, more likely, ignoring it.

"Mamo-chan…I have to get that," she sighed.

"Let it ring."

"If I don't answer it someone will come looking for us."

Mamoru sighed as he pictured one or more of the Senshi rushing into the room at an inopportune moment. He gave an amazingly articulate grunt and rolled to get the communicator. He flopped onto his back as he handed it to Usagi.

"Usagi-chan, can you hear me?" came the gentle, piping voice of Ami, "I'm just checking in to make you are all right."

"Yes, I'm just fine," replied Usagi in a level voice. "Can this wait? I'm sort of busy right now."

"Busy?" came the annoyed voice of Hino Rei from somewhere in back of Ami. "What could she be doing that so bloody important?"

"Research!" shouted Mamoru in the direction of the device. "Very important research! Usagi will call you later. Ja ne, Ami." Mamoru took the communicator, gently shut it and then threw it half way across the bedroom.

"Ah," he said with a sly smile, "the things I do for science…"

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Minako cursed softly as she looked at her e-mail. There were 269 new mails as of this morning and about 50 or so were from her agent. After opening the first 10 she had a good idea what the other 259 were about.

_Dear Ms. Aino,_

_We at CNN would like to talk to you about your dear friend, Tsukino Usagi. Since we know that your time is valuable, we hope that our offer will make it possible for you to schedule a few minutes for us._

"Sweet mother of pearl," Minako moaned as she looked at the sum of money offered, "This isn't an offer! This is the gross national product of Canada!"

Rei peered over her shoulder at the six figures on the screen. "Well that didn't take long. I thought we'd have a few days, at least, before the media tracked us down."

"At least they haven't figured out that we're the other Senshi." Mako added. She was still fuming about the man who'd showed up outside her window this morning. The moron had knocked over the window box of herbs that had taken her months to grow. Now they were ruined! Nothing ticked Mako off faster than thyme wasted.

"And if we're very careful, they might not," added Ami. "All we need to do is outlast the media's interest in this story. How much more can they possibly say about a video tape that only lasts about three minutes anyway?"

"Trust me Ami-chan," sighed Minako, "They've just gotten started."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Yamamotto Jiro had been in the news business for almost fifty years. He'd seen television news rise from a five minute broadcast that covered locals fire and cats stuck in trees to the juggernaut it now was. The line between covering the news and making it had been blurred beyond recognition, Jiro thought as he glanced at the small TV in his office.

The talk show host was very careful to "guide" the audience into the desired direction. He kept going back to the fact that society was replete with unknown aliens who were a threat to (and Jiro hated this line) "our way of life."

With an unhappy grunt he snapped the TV off. Going to his window, Jiro shook his head what he'd just seen. That fool on TV was more interested in garnering rating than thinking about what he was really doing, whipping people up into frenzy over an imagined threat. Once, thought Jiro, just once more I'd like the chance to be a real newsman, not an entertainer.

As he pulled up the Venetian blinds his prayer was answered in the form of a man in a black tuxedo. The man stood calmly on the ledge even though it was ten floors above the street. Jiro pushed aside the impulse to give a surprised yelp and forced himself to open the window.

"Unless I miss my guess, you must be the man known as Tuxedo Kamen," said Jiro. He flung the window open to its widest point and motioned with his arm. "Please, do come in. I'm too old to be hanging out of windows for a story anymore."

The man in the black tuxedo gave a wry smile as he entered the room. "Sorry for the dramatics but this way seemed less likely to cause a commotion." He settled himself in the proffered chair with elegant grace. "How would you like an exclusive interview with myself and Sailor Moon?"

"If you didn't all ready know the answer to that question, you wouldn't be here asking me. Now I have one for you. Why me?" asked Yamamotto. He was gratified by the surprise that briefly flickered on the man's face.

"Because you seem to be an honest man," came the reply, "And someone who is less interested in self aggrandizing than in pursing the truth of a matter."

"What's the catch?" asked Jiro. This was just too good to be true.

Tuxedo Kamen shook his head, "No catch. There's only one ground rule for the interview. You can ask, but we will not tell you who the rest of the Senshi really are. In exchange for that, Sailor Moon and I will give you an hour that will make you the envy of every reporter on the planet."

Yamamotto pretended to be thinking about the offer. He slowly counted three in his head before he spoke again. "You'll have to take off that mask if we do this. If the rest of the Senshi are off limits, then you'll to tell me who you really are.

In response the man in the tuxedo smiled then took off his hat. He reached up, removed his white domino mask and placing it in the top hat, handed both to Yamamotto.

"My name is Chiba Mamoru."

"Will tomorrow afternoon at about one be a convenient time for you and Ms. Tsukino to come here, Chiba-san?" asked the newsman.

Tuxedo Kamen rose from the chair and headed back for the window. "One tomorrow it is, then." His black cape billowed in the wind and in a flash he was gone.

Jiro looked at the hat he held in hand for a long moment. Placing it carefully on his desk he grabbed the telephone and buzzed his secretary.

"Imiko, get a hold of the owners and all the senior staff. Tell them to come to my office at once. I have something that they will be very interested to hear."

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"What?" Kashu all but shouted. "Chiba Mamoru is Tuxedo Kamen? Are you sure, Yoshi?"

Yoshi lowered his head and upper body in a way that gave him as much cover in the open newsroom as possible. "You heard me the first time, Hikaru-kun and I can't repeat it. I'm taking an awful risk as it is just calling you. If this news gets out before the interview and it's traced back to me, my career is finished."

"Then why are you calling me?"

Yoshi looked at the floor. "Because we both believe that this 'Sailor Moon' and her allies are a threat to all we hold dear. I can do nothing to stop these aliens but you can. This is the moment we dreamed about in college, Hikaru!" Fervor crept into his voice but he managed with effort to keep his tone from attracting attention.

"We can unite Japan against this threat! We can use it to regain our rightful place as the leaders of this country. Once the Samurai and other noble families restore the Emperor's rule, Japan will take her place as the leading nation on Earth!"

"Leave it to me, Yuri-kun," replied Kashu. "I know just what to do."

Kashu's mind was already racing before hung up the telephone, formulating a plan for what needed to be done. Chiba was Tuxedo Kamen? That answered a lot of questions and presented the solution to a major problem for Kashu. In a single move he could eliminate his rival for Serenity and her strongest protector. With Chiba gone, she would be his for the taking.

Yuri and his kind were fools. They saw only the glory of Japan's Imperial past and their heritage as nobles in a feudal society. Kashu had much bigger plans than restoring the old ways. With Serenity under his control, he could rule much more than a single nation.

His path to power was clear to him. In an instant he would achieve everything he wanted. All he had to do was kill Chiba. The thought of that moment gave him almost as much pleasure as the thought of having Serenity.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Rei's voice had been the strongest in opposition to making any kind of public statement. She didn't take the news very well. Fear and outrage vied for supremacy in her soul while she listened to what Mamoru and Usagi had planned. In the end, Rei handled the fear the way she always did, by getting angry.

"I can't believe you're going through with this madness," said Rei in an exasperated tone. "Kami-sama have mercy, Usagi, I thought you'd outgrown doing things this incredibly stupid!"

"Just because you don't like it doesn't make it 'stupid'," Usagi shot back, "And I'd thought you had grown out being this moronically pig headed, Rei!"

Mamoru sighed heavily as he came to stand with Usagi. Suddenly the two both seemed like they were fourteen years old again. He hoped they wouldn't start sticking their tongues out at each other.

"You're entitled to your opinion, Rei, but unless we come forward with some kind of response, someone out there will make one up for us," Mamoru said.

"You don't understand…" Usagi began again.

Rei was abruptly right in Usagi face, madder than Mamoru had seen her in years. "No, you don't understand! This is serious. This is dangerous. Kami-sama give me strength! Minako treats this whole thing like a game. Well, it not a game these people are not to be trusted. You have no right to do this, Usagi, no right."

"You're over reacting Rei-chan. We've faced worse villains than the media," said Usagi putting a hand on her friends shoulder, "Mamo-chan and I can handle this."

Rei reached up and slapped the hand away. "You fool. Do you have any idea what you are about to do to the rest of us? Have you even thought about that? Because you're the princess we have to sit back and watch you kiss up to some old man in front of a camera. Royalty doesn't pander Usagi, or do you think your mother the Queen would have approved of you prostituting yourself this way?"

Usagi jerked away from her friend as though Rei had struck her. She stopped as Mamoru put a hand on her arm. "That's enough Rei." His eyes were cold as ice as he turned to look at the Priestess. "If you feel that strongly about the interview, then don't come with us. I'm sure we can manage without your help today, Mars."

Her hands balling into fists, Rei glared right back at Mamoru. She let her transformation go. "That suits me very well, your Highness," she spat the title at him, hurt by his dismissal. "This way I won't have a front row seat as you two commit suicide on live television."

Gathering her purse, she stormed out of the Chiba apartment without a backward glance. Tears of anger were in her violet eyes as she left. Part of her knew she'd gone too far and regretted her harsh words. Part of her thought she hadn't gone far enough.

"Rei-chan…" Usagi moved to follow, but was stopped by Mamoru.

"No, Usako," he said taking her gently by the arm, "let her go. Give Rei some time to cool down, ne? You can talk to her later, after the interview."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Tenou Haruka, Sailor Uranus, stood with arms folded in front of one of the four doors in the studio. She was doing her best to appear unapproachable and it seemed to be working. Haruka noted with pleasure that the technical crew and station owners were keeping well clear of her.

When Minako had talked Usagi and Mamoru into this wretched interview, Haruka had insisted that she be one of the Senshi that went along to make sure that the Prince and Princess would be safe. She and Rei were of the same mind in this matter. Talking publicly about being Princess

Serenity was a monumental mistake. Minako was laboring under the misconception that in working with the media, they could exert some kind of control on the way the story was covered. Haruka remembered only too well how the press had savaged her by outing her relationship with Michiru. The was a small but persistent part of the media who were little more than a pack of jackals, Uranus thought, those who could never be controlled once they smelled blood.

Several of the younger male stage hands that were taken by Neptune's delicate beauty kept trying to talk to Michiru, not that Uranus could fault them for that she supposed. A glance told her that Jupiter was also the recipient of furtive looks. Uranus sighed inwardly. Mercury was lucky to be in the control room, watching over the technical aspects of the live broadcast. She was there to make sure that no "editorial" surprises popped up on the screen.

Haruka, Michiru and Makoto had been obvious choices to act as bodyguards. If they were somehow recognized they had least amount to loose. Makoto didn't have any family still left alive. Michiru's family, with few exceptions, had stopped talking to her when they found out about her relationship with Haruka. And as far as Haruka was concerned, Michiru was all the family she'd ever have or need. Minako's insistence at going along had been a surprise, though.

Almost as much a surprise as Mars sudden and unexplained absence.

A quick look at the Senshi of Venus showed that she was totally focused on the over lit stage where Usagi and Mamoru sat. There was something else driving Minako, Haruka knew, but exactly what that was remained a mystery.

The Senshi of Venus had done everything but write "Hello! I am Aino Minako" in fiery letters above her head. While the other had been very careful not use anything other than their Senshi names, Minako had been throwing her first name around and loudly, too. She was acting in a manner that was bordering on reckless. Haruka made a mental note to talk her and find out what was really going on later.

The Princess and her Prince sat side by side, linked in a way that was invisible, yet very clear for all to see. They were like day and night, sun and moon. She was in a white gown that seemed to glow softly. He wore a formal, black tuxedo and a domino mask. Even Uranus had to admit that Minako was right about having Usagi appear in capacity as Princess, rather than as Sailor Moon. Usagi had grown into her role as heir to the Silver Millennium over the years. When she thought of herself as Serenity, Usagi was somehow more graceful, more commanding of respect.

Mamoru hand's moved to his face and removed that mask as he told the world who he really was. In carefully measured tones first Mamoru, then Usagi, told the world about the last night of the Silver Millennium and how they had come to be reborn in this time and place. Yamamotto, to his credit, let them finish telling the tale before he asked the first questions about it.

"Prince of Earth and Princess of the Moon Kingdom?" he repeated Usagi's words slowly, "But what moon circling what planet?"

Usagi gave an innocent smile that showed her good heart. She pointed toward the ceiling, "That moon, Earth's moon, of course. It's true that I'm the reincarnated Princess of the Moon Kingdom, but as Tsukino Usagi, I was born not ten miles from this spot."

"So people have no reason to be afraid of you two and the others in your group?" asked Yamamotto.

Mamoru looked the newsman in the eye. "No. No cause other than a blind, unreasoned fear of the unknown."

"There's nothing to be afraid of," protested Usagi, "I was born in this city. I went to Juban High School and now go to Tokyo University. Yes, we're a little different genetically than most people, so what? Someone who had blue eyes is different genetically from someone who has brown eyes."

Haruka was amazed by the way most of the people in the small room were nodding their heads in agreement with Usagi. Experience had taught Uranus just the opposite about mankind, but Usagi's earnest belief in the basic goodness in people was infectious. Haruka prayed that the Princess was right this time.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Setsuna watched the crowd grow with unease. Last night, for the first time in years she'd felt something stir and awaken within her. She'd hoped it was just the shrimp she'd eaten, but sadly acknowledged what it really had been.

Setsuna had a kind of foresight, a gift from her mother's people, the Sh'Eyre, but she hadn't had a prophetic episode in centuries. Why would the gift suddenly reawaken now, she wondered? There was the unpleasant sensation of someone whispering in her ear but Setsuna couldn't make out the words. With a loud sigh, she forced herself to think about something else.

Sailor Pluto should have been in that studio with Usagi and Mamoru. While Setsuna understood that the existence of the Timegate had to be kept a secret, it wasn't as though Sailor Pluto had never been seen in public before. However, in deference to the wishes of the Princess and Prince, she'd agreed to stay out of her fuku and in the car.

_'Selene help me,'_ Setsuna grumbled to herself, _'how the mighty have fallen. I've been relegated to chauffer.'_

From inside the vehicle she watched as small groups of people started to show up outside the television station. Part of her knew that this kind of thing was inevitable. When most of the TV station's personnel knew about the interview, it was bound to get out ahead of time. It was the fact that the crowd was much too well organized for this to be happenstance that caused Setsuna alarm.

There were signs, some handwritten but most professionally printed, that shouted slogans like, "Earth for Humanity!", "Send back the illegal aliens!" and most disturbingly, "Keep Humanity Pure". Within five minutes there was a sea of agitated people surrounding the television station.

The whispers in her mind were growing louder now, more demanding. She was gripped by the urgent need to get to Usagi and Mamoru. Setsuna almost called out her henshin phrase right in the front seat of the car, but stopped herself at the last moment.

Logic told her that the appearance of Sailor Pluto could cause this crowd to boil over. A riot was the last thing they needed right now. Tucking the car keys into her pocket, Setsuna steeled herself and waded into the sea of protesters.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Sometimes, Kashu Hikaru mused, the simple ways were the best. He'd simply let an old acquaintance from college know that Sailor Moon and the Senshi would be here today. That man had called another man who held the same, narrow and xenophobic views and voila, an instant protest.

Kashu smiled to himself as he pulled his rifle out of the small case he carried and began to put it together. When chaos erupted, and he had no doubt that it would as soon as Serenity appeared, he only needed a minute at most to take advantage of it and remove Chiba. The rifle he held was equipped with infra-red sights and could drop a deer a half a mile away. Chiba would soon be very dead and Serenity would then be his within days.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Setsuna pushed her way through the increasingly agitated crowd. This was taking too long a part of her shouted She had to get to the Prince and Princess, now! With discipline she mastered the adrenaline charged feelings that gripped her.

Pluto suddenly remembered why she'd always disliked these charming, little episodes of precognition. It was like having someone yell frenzied instructions at you in a language you didn't understand, like trying to see someone who was just a shade to far away. Setsuna envied Rei's control of her second sight.

Some man with a bull-horn was shouting at the crowd. "The government isn't doing anything to protect us from these aliens," he called out to the people who flocked like sheep around him. "We have a right to keep our homes and families safe from alien influences and ways! They are un-natural, Godless creatures that shouldn't be allowed near decent, normal people. We know how to deal with them, don't we?"

The man with the bull-horn turned toward the building in back of him, "Send them out!" he called, "Send them out or we'll come in there and get them!"

The crowd roared its approval and pushed forward. Setsuna forcefully began to move people out of her way. The throng was chanting "Send them out!" as she neared the front.

The doors opened and the chanting became howls of anger. Usagi appeared with Mamoru on one side and Mercury on the other. Uranus, Neptune, Jupiter and Venus, in turn, surrounded them.

"Stop, please!" Usagi tried to shout above the noise, "There's no reason for this! You don't have to be afraid of us!"

Someone threw a rock toward Usagi and the trickle of anger in the crowd became a torrent. As if in cue, they started to rush toward the Senshi. Setsuna began to shove at the protestors in her way with increasing desperation. The voices of the people around her echoed the frenzied words in her head. The mass of writhing humanity was too much for Setsuna. Damning the consequences, she lunged forward shouting her henshin phrase.

"Eternal Pluto power, make up!"

Even as Setsuna began to transform, something inside her shattered with a painful snap. Jumbled images flooded her mind. The world seemed to slow and she experienced a curious kind of double vision.

Suddenly Setsuna _knew_, she saw…

Uranus raised a fist and it glowed as she gathered her power to her in a silent threat. Mako's brow furrowed as the air about them startedto crackle with gathering electricity. The crowd shouted its anger but backed off for a moment. The hostility in the throng was almost palpable.

Minako and Ami were pulled out of position as they tried to get the crowd to back off with a display of light and sound that was mostly for show. They knew that they couldn't use their attacks against people without risking severe injury or death. Neptune came up behind them and joined in the display.

Mamoru was totally focused on Usagi and keeping her safe. He never noticed the flash of red light the danced across his chest but Setsuna did. Pluto ignored the frightened shouts of the people around her as she transformed. Vaulting out of the crowd she brushed by the guardian Senshi. Even as Setsuna launched herself at Mamoru, she screamed her fear and rage across the bond she shared with her twin.

_'He's after the Prince! Please God, let me be in time'_

An invisible hand slammed her into Mamoru and they fell together. There was a moment of pain so acute that Pluto was struck mute by it. Setsuna was on top of Mamoru who looked at her with such child like surprise. His mouth was moving but she couldn't hear what he was saying.

Everything began to fade to gray as the pain pulsed in time with the beating of her heart. The last thing Setsuna was aware of was Lorilei's frantic, anguished calling in her mind. Then the world slipped away from her and she fell into a bottomless black hole.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Next: Chapter Six- "The Choice"


	7. Chapter Six - "The Choice"

Thank you to everyone who has taken a moment to leave a review or to write to me. Your support is greatly appreciated and never taken for granted!

Standard Disclaimer – As much as it pains me to say this, I don't own the rights to "Sailor Moon" or any of the wonderful characters created by Naoko Takeuchi. They are used here without permission and in the hope that the people who do currently have the rights will consider me too small to bother with. I do own the original characters created for this series and, although I only mention them in passing in this chapter, my very own alien civilization, the Sh'Eyre and their Imperium.

"Fatal Exposure"

By Meara

Chapter Six – The Choice

It was chaos, utter, total and complete chaos. There had been a moment when Pluto fell with Mamoru that was strangely silent. The crowd paused as if to take a collective breath. Then the sharp report of gunfire filled the air again and the screaming began. People were running in every direction desperately seeking cover.

Mamoru and Setsuna locked eyes for a second. She gave him a look of resigned sadness, then shuddered and collapsed against him. Her transformation reversed as a bright red stain grew on her white blouse.

"Oh God," Mercury called out, "Pluto's been shot!"

Usagi scrambled to get beside him as Mamoru gently place Setsuna on the ground. "Mamo-chan?" Usagi called to him, fear in her voice.

Mamoru pulled off his jacket. "I'm all right," he said while wading up the jacket and pressed it against the wound in her back trying to staunch the bleeding.

"Mercury, I need your help here!"

When Ami rushed to assist Mamoru some within the mob tried to take advantage of the confusion. They charged toward the small group. Uranus shouted in anger as she raised her fist.

"You cowardly bastards. You shot her in the back!" In one, swift motion, she brought her clenched fist to the ground, "World Shaking!"

Minako lunged forward to try to stop her. "Uranus, no, don't!"

The ground erupted, throwing up chunks of asphalt and dirt as it convulsed. People were tossed into the air like dolls. They tumbled heavily to earth. Haruka took little satisfaction in the sounds of pain that emanated from them.

Minako raised a single hand over her head and called the power of Venus to it. Golden light flickered as she called out, "Love Me Chain!" The heart shaped bits of energy encircled the Senshi. Minako prayed that the display would dissuade the crowd.

It all seemed to happen at once. The cries of hate and fear mingled with the smell of blood and the sound of gunfire. Jupiter had her arms crossed as she prepared to strike out in anger. Venus was desperately lunging for Mako to stop her.

An eerie blue white-glow surrounded Jupiter, casting surreal shadows across Mamoru's face. Something flashed in the corner of Usagi's eye and she reached towards Mamoru only to have him ripped away. He spun and fell to the pavement.

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi shouted as she threw herself over him.

"Usako, get back," he called weakly. His eyes were glassy and his face was pale, sweat breaking out on his forehead. The part of him that could still think clearly realized he was going into shock. "…Too dangerous. Get away, please!" Blood flowed freely from a ragged wound on his shoulder.

"I won't leave you!"

Mamoru raised a shaking hand to her face, "I love you, Usako," he sighed and then slipped into unconsciousness.

Rapid-fire images flashed through Usagi's mind. She saw her prince dead on the floor after he'd delivered a fatal blow to Beryl. She could still feel Mamoru being torn away from her by Ail and Ann. She remembered the moment that Galaxia has taunted her with his death. Usagi couldn't bear to lose him again.

"Nooo…!" She gave a wail of despair as she reached for locket. "Moon Eternal Power, make up!"

In a flash of light and feathers, Usagi transformed. Her hand went immediately to her locket and it obediently popped open. The Ginzuishou came to her cupped hands. Silver light flared as she raised it above her head.

"Please Ginzuishou," she called as she knelt beside Mamoru, "Help me protect those I love!"

The light pulsed once, twice, three times then raced to do her will. Usagi ignored the startled protests of her friends and the pain that burned like quicksilver fire in her veins. The ground shuddered as a translucent, circular wall, as ethereal as moonlight and as solid as stone, sprang up around the heir to the Moon Kingdom and her guardians.

Some in the mob, enraged by the action, tried to rush the barrier. Other threw whatever came to hand at it. Usagi shuddered as if struck each time the barrier was hit. The force of their unreasoning hate hurt more than the physical blows.

Beads of sweat appeared on Usagi's forehead and her body began to shake with exertion but the wall held. In desperation, she reached deeper into herself than she ever had before. She had to find a way to save Mamoru and Setsuna. She had to keep her friends safe. She would not allow the insane fears of a few destroy the future!

_'There is a way, Serenity,' _came a voice in her head. A ghostly vision of her mother, Queen Selene stood before her. The look on the Queen's face was grim. _'You can save them but the power comes at a price. Be warned, once you start down this path there is no going back.'_

"I will pay it!" she shouted aloud. "I will give my life to save them if I must!"

Pride radiated from her mother as the voice came again. _'You are, indeed, worthy of your heritage. Take what has waited a millenia for you to claim!'_

Without warning, in a single, shining moment, the pain left her and she knew a strange kind of ecstasy. A change came over her. The moon sigil appeared on her brow and her fuku became luminescent, shining like a thousand stars. It melted away into a swirling veil that danced around her body.

Usagi rose, strong and graceful. The Ginzuishou floated down to slowly spin in front of her heart. The crescent moon on her forehead shone brighter and brighter until it matched the mystic light from the crystal. Closing her eyes, Usagi raised a hand.

The Moon Scepter came at her calling. The Ginzuishou moved to the center of the scepter disappearing into it with a flash. Usagi's eyes snapped open and she looked at her hand. With a flick of her wrist, the shaft of the scepter extended, becoming a staff. Usagi grasped it with both hands, turned it horizontally and bowed her head in concentration.

She raised high the staff and it pulsed even brighter. Wings of silver fire cupped her body then opened with a rush of air. Usagi rose to hover slightly above the ground on out stretched wings of mystic fire.

"Moon Healing, Escalation!" Her voice was clearly audible, even above the crowd noise.

First Mamoru and then Setsuna's bodies were encased in a translucent glow. The light flared once and then faded. Ami gasped as it did. When she removed Mamoru's jacket from Setsuna's back, the bleeding had stopped.

Mamoru moaned once and half opened his eyes. He put a hand to his shoulder in surprise. The bleeding had stopped and the wound was almost healed. Mamoru looked up at Usagi. She hovered over him, clothed in light.

"Usako…" he whispered wondering if he was truly seeing her or if this was dream. "My angel…"

Usagi couldn't hear him. She was aware only of the power that flowed from her and through her. The Silver Crystal sang in total harmony with her and she with it. There was no pain, no suffering or fear for the future within the song. There was only the indescribable bliss of the moment and the temptation to stay a part of it forever.

The memory of Mamoru and those she loved called to her softly. That song was distant and gentle but just enough to break the siren song of infinite power and eternal bliss. Usagi may not have been able to tell how long she stayed in that timeless, exalted state but she was very sure, however, of the moment the odd rapture ended. Every nerve in her body shrieked in pain at her and she fell.

"It's all right Usagi-chan, I've got you." Jupiter's arms caught Usagi and gently lowered her to the ground. Makoto's voice sounded very far away.

"Mamo-chan? Setsuna?" she asked in an unsteady voice. Oh Lord, she was so very tired.

Ami was beside her, kneeling down to touch her hand in reassurance. "Mamoru-san is going to be fine. Between going into shock and the drugs the being pumped into him, he's not quite lucid right now. The paramedics are helping Setsuna. You stopped the hemorrhaging Usagi-chan. That saved her life."

Ami reached and gently titled Usagi's head towards her. "Speaking of going into shock, how do you feel?"

"I'm okay," answered Usagi in a groggy voice. She didn't sound very convincing. "Can I take a nap now?" Usagi looked up at Ami, her eyes heavy with the need for sleep. In the background her mind absently noticed that the crowd had backed off, awe and fear written on their faces.

From what Ami could tell Usagi wasn't in shock. The Moon Princess was, however, completely exhausted by her use of the Silver Crystal. She nodded her head once. "I think rest would be a very good idea."

Makoto was so nice and comfy to lean against, Usagi thought, starting to drift off. A hand stroked her head as if she were a child. She cracked open her eyes to see Neptune smiling at her.

"Sleep, Princess," whispered the soft voice of Michiru, "We will watch over you."

Usagi was too tired to do anything other than sigh as she gave herself over to the arms of Morpheus.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The whole drama was broadcast across the globe. They saw Uranus use her attack against the crowd. Minako's "Love Me Chain" wasn't as destructive, but equally enthralling. If people were stunned at the sight of the Senshi's magic, Usagi using the Ginzuishou transfixed them.

The light that shone from her had an unearthly beauty to it. Usagi seemed so much more than human at that moment. Some found the sight enthralling while others were disturbed, even frightened by the elegant display of power.

In a small conference room in Tokyo, a high level meeting was taking place. The scene from the television station was playing on a set in the background. A man in a military uniform that was heavy with ribbons and decorations tapped his hand on the table to get everyone's attention.

"It must be clear to everyone by now that we can't let this situation go on any longer," he said. "This Tsukino Serena and her companions must be taken into custody as soon as possible. I have spoken to the Minister of Defense, and he gave me the green light to proceed. "

A white haired man nodded his head vigorously, "Yes, yes General, of course. We can't take a chance on something unfortunate happening to them. We need to examine them closely, to determine just what kind of power they are capable of."

The General leaned forward, a hawkish smile on his face, "And since they are living here in Japan, that power belongs in the hands of this country. We must get to them before some other nation does."

A younger man raised his hand tentatively. "But Sir, we don't even know who the others really are. I've all ready made a few," he coughed uncomfortably, "inquiries as to the whereabouts of Tsukino Serena, but she has left the family home in Juban. We don't know where she is at this moment. How are we going to find her?"

The General templed his fingers, rubbing them together. "Ah, Captain, but we do know where at least one of these Senshi is, recovering from a gunshot wound at Tokyo General Hospital. I think Ms. Tsukino will grace us with her presence once we move to put this Sailor Pluto in 'protective custody'. When we have their Princess, Tuxedo Kamen and the rest of the Senshi will have to come to us."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

What did it take to kill that man, Kashu Hikaru thought to himself. He knew he'd hit Chiba right above the heart. The man should be dead, but no, he had been released from the hospital and gone home. Home, with Serenity! Damn Chiba, he had more lives than a cat!

The television was showing yet again the confrontation from this afternoon. Kashu turned down the sound and simply stared at Serenity as she used the Ginzuishou. Incredible, he thought, she was even more beautiful than before.

Kashu Hikaru knew that had to have her. He didn't care what the cost might be. He would do any thing, pay any price to possess her. He vowed to sell his soul to the devil himself if necessary. Serenity, and that bright, shining power, would be his.

He had no more finished that though than the beginning of an idea came to him. Kashu Hikaru never stopped to consider where that idea had truly come from, or what might happen if he failed. He simply didn't care for anything other gaining the object of his obsession.

Unknowingly, in that moment, Kashu Hikaru set his feet on the path that would ultimately lead to his own destruction in this life and, unless the future could be changed, in the next.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Ami loved being a Senshi. She also loved her duty to her Princess and friend. Regardless, there was a part of her that longed to be a Doctor. To help heal the sick and wounded, to nurture life was a dream she'd cherished as long as she could remember. Making people whole again fed a need in her in a way that nothing else could.

Maybe that's why she was here; walking up the long, stone stairs to the Hikawa temple. Whatever happened between Rei and Usagi had to be healed.

When they'd brought Usagi and Mamoru back to her home, Ami had asked the finally lucid Mamoru if he knew why the Senshi of Mars hadn't come with them today. He mumbled some vague reply about a difference of opinion. It was more what Mamoru didn't say that tipped Ami off.

Knowing Rei as well as she did, Ami made her way to the one place where her friend invariably retreated to when she was troubled, the room that held the heart of the shrine, the sacred fire. Sure enough, when Ami peeked in the window, Rei was seated in the student position staring into the flames. Removing her shoes, she gently pushed open the paper door and waited for Rei to notice her.

"If Usagi sent you here to soften me up, it won't work," Rei said without turning her head. "If she wants to apologize then she can get her royal butt down here and do it herself."

_God help me_, Ami prayed. _She doesn't know about the shootings._

"Well?" prompted Rei in an irritated voice.

Ami came in and stood behind Rei. "Rei-chan, there's been trouble."

The Shinto priestess stiffened and turned to look at Ami. "I told her this interview was a bad idea. What's wrong this time? Did someone publish Mamoru's telephone number?"

"There was a crowd, a mob really, waiting for us as we came out of the television station," Ami began in a carefully modulated voice. "It turned very ugly very quickly. Shots were fired. Mamoru and Setsuna were hit."

Rei's face went white. "Oh Kami-sama, no…"

"They're both alive," Ami quickly reassured her, "But they wouldn't be if Usagi hadn't used the ginzuishou. She put a wall between us that mob. Usagi managed to heal Mamoru and half heal Setsuna before she collapsed from exhaustion."

Rei's voice was tight with fear as she asked, "Is she all right? She's not…she's all right? Please tell me Usagi's all right."

"Usagi-chan was still sleeping when I left. Something happened when she used the Ginzuishou this time. She was changed by it, physically changed by it. The mark of the Moon Kingdom is still clearly visible on her forehead. Her hair is turning silver almost as I watch. As for being all right, I honestly don't know."

"Oh Kami-sama, what have I done? If I had been there…" Tears welled up in Rei's eyes. In an instant the arrogant woman was gone and in her place was a little girl whose features contorted with fear and guilt.

Putting her face in her hands Rei's shoulders shook as she began to sob deeply. "I could have stopped that mob! I should have been there!"

Ami moved to take Rei in her arms and hold her. "Oh Rei-chan, this isn't your fault. Yes, you should have been there but even if you had been I don't think you could have stopped any of this."

Ami held the sobbing woman and let her cry for a long moment as she whispered soothing words. When the sobbing tapered off, she handed her friend a tissue.

"Feeling better now?" Ami asked softly.

Rei nodded her head as she blew her nose. "Can I tell you something Ami? Something just between the two of us?" When Ami smiled her agreement, Rei continued, "I used to be jealous of Usagi, you know, being the Princess and all."

Well duh, thought Ami. "Really?" she managed to say in a level tone. "I never would have guessed."

"I think that's why I was always on case her so much. Usagi used to be such a total airhead and don't get me started about the klutz attacks in the middle of a fight." Rei paused and sighed, looking chagrined, a state Ami had rarely seen on her friend.

"When the news about her being Sailor Moon got out, suddenly everyone in the world wanted Usagi. Usagi, Usagi, Usagi…morning noon and night. I think some of that old jealousy came back and bit me in the butt. I forgot, for a while, about the responsibility that Usagi has in being the Moon Princess and only saw that no one was paying any attention to me."

Rei paused and studied her hands in silence for a long moment. "My father called the other day."

"I thought he was with the Japanese Consulate in the United States?"

"He is," Rei said. "He read about Usagi being Sailor Moon. The man actually pretended he was concerned for me and like a fool I fell for it. Yep, I swallowed the whole party line right up until he started going on about how maybe I could come to see him. Oh, and could I bring Usagi along? He has some very important people who would love to meet her."

Ami's heart broke for her friend. "Oh Rei-chan…"

Tears threatened again, but Rei refused to let them fall. "Then Usagi and Mamoru told me about the interview. The press is using them, Ami, just like my father wanted to use me. It hit a little too close to home and I guess I took out some of my anger at my father on Usagi."

Only some of her anger, thought Ami? If that was only some of her anger, then Rei must be sitting on a mountain of suppressed rage. "What you did was very normal. I bet Usagi and Mamoru would understand if you told them about it."

"They still shouldn't have done that fool interview," Rei shot back. "I was right about that!"

It was nice to see some of the fire return to her fiend's eyes. "And at this point, I'm willing to bet a slice of strawberry cheesecake that Usagi would be the first to agree with you."

Ami was such a good friend, Rei decided as she stuck out her pinky finger. "Make it cherry cheesecake and you've got a deal."

Hooking her own pinky with Rei's the petite young woman with the shoulder length blue hair smiled. "It's a bet. Now, why don't you write your grandfather a note and let's go see who wins that wager."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

This had not been the best week of Furuhata Motoki's life. He had known that Mamoru-kun was Tuxedo Kamen for a several years now and who the rest of the Inner Senshi really were. It was a secret that he'd been honored to keep.

When Usagi had been revealed as Sailor Moon, he'd watched the press go into the expected feeding frenzy and braced himself for the inevitable. He was known as a good friend of Chiba Mamoru. Surely it was only a matter of time before the media started to hound him for his story.

Motoki went about his duties as a first year resident at Tokyo General Hospital waiting for the media circus to begin. When he was called to the office of the CEO of the Hospital, he steeled himself. In Motoki's mind, there was only one reason the head of the Hospital board would take notice of a lowly resident. He was about to be either suspended or fired because of his friendship with Mamoru.

He was, therefore, somewhat surprised to find that the office had been taken over by three men in cheap suits. They flashed official looking ID's at him.

"You are Furuhata Motoki of the Juban district," one asked him. It was a statement, not a question.

Motoki took a deep breath. If the Government was involved this was not good news. Were they here to interrogate him, or worse..? "Yes. Is there problem, Sir?"

The second man looked up from the paperwork that in his hands. "It says here that your family owns several business in Tokyo. You are a first year resident. Is this also true?"

Where was this going, Motoki wondered? "Yes," he answered slowly.

"Ah, good. You are being assigned to help in the care of the alien while she is here. Please roll up your sleeve."

"There must be some mistake," Motoki began hesitantly. They didn't know his friendship with Mamoru? In a way he was vaguely offended. "I'm in the middle of some very sensitive research in the hematology lab. I'm not sure how helpful I could be. I'm not studying to be a general practitioner."

The first man gave him a cold smile. "We know that. You have been recommended to us as a young man who knows how to, shall we say, keep things confidential. This is only for a few days until the alien is strong enough and we can move her to a secure facility. We'd like you to work with one of our doctor's on some hematology research while she is here. Now roll up your sleeve, please. We need a blood sample"

Motoki found himself rolling up his sleeve automatically. "Why do you need my blood?" Did Mamoru know that the Government was going to move Sailor Pluto? What was going on here?

A man in a white lab coat took over. "It's just to make sure you are one us. This will sting for a minute." He quickly and efficiently drew the required sample.

"One of us?" Motoki didn't like the sound of that at all.

The first man was staring at the paperwork again. He didn't even look up as he started to write on the page. "You know, human. Thank you for your cooperation Dr. Furuhata. You'll be receiving your identity card in a few hours."

As he got up to leave, the second man reached over and took Motoki by the arm. "Oh, and don't try to leave the hospital grounds until the results of the blood test comes back. If you are human, you have nothing to worry about. If you aren't…well, I'm sure you understand."

Motoki kept his temper in check. He longed to slap the restraining hand away. "I understand," he replied in an even, civil tone, "I understand exactly what you mean."

As he went through the halls and back towards the lab Motoki's mind was running circles. How had the Government become involved in all of this? Did Mamoru know that his friend was about to be put in 'protective custody'?

Most frustrating of all was that Motoki couldn't do anything with the information. If Mamoru was still in his apartment (and to Motoki that seemed unlikely at this point) he wasn't answering any of his messages. Worse yet, he had no idea where Mamoru might have disappeared to.

So absorbed was the young resident in his dismal train of thought that he never even saw the woman until she bumped into him. Motoki blushed furiously and bowed in regret.

"I beg your pardon! I didn't see you!"

The elegant woman with short dark hair smiled back at him. "It's all right. I wasn't watching were I as going either." The woman paused than added softly, "You're a friend of Mamoru's aren't you?"

That got his attention and he almost took a step away from the smiling woman, until he caught her eye. She glanced once at her name badge and he looked at it – Dr. Mizuno.

"My daughter, Ami, has told me all about you," she continued in a pleasant tone that wouldn't attract attention. Her eyes were bright and intense and Motoki found himself held by them. "She'd love to see you again. Why don't you drop my apartment later today?"

Dr. Mizuno, Motoki mind raced as he put it all together, Ami's mother! Was she trying to tell him that Mamoru and the others were at her apartment? He quickly but carefully came up with an appropriate response.

"Thank you, Mizuno-sensei, I'd like very much to see her again. Perhaps I'll take you up on your offer later today."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Tsukino Usagi truly hated only a few things. Lima beans were near the top of the list. Usagi always thought that they tasted like gritty, green cement. High heel shoes with pointy toes came right after the lima beans. She figured that they'd been invented by the same man who'd come up with the under-wire bra and for the express same purpose, to torture women. But at the very top of the hate list was being awakened when she was still so very tired.

Usagi had spent most of her life being told to wake up before she was ready. Consequently, she was exceptionally good at ignoring people who attempted to do just that. So, when she felt the hands gently shaking her, and the voice softly calling her name, Usagi did her best to ignored it. With a grunt of protest she rolled over, pulling the covers over her head as she went.

"Ladies, let an expert handle this," whispered Mamoru.

He sat down on the bed near the pile of blankets. One hand slowly began to rub at what he suspected was Usagi's back. He lowered his head and called, "Usako…"

The pile of blankets gave a musical sigh and stretched out. A muffled voice could be heard. "Mamo-chan," Usagi almost purred.

"Time to wake up, love," he called in a singsong voice.

"No," she grumbled, "sleep…" Usagi curled into a ball. "Go 'way!"

"Makoto made you something to eat, Usako," he called in the same singsong voice, "If you want it you have to sit up."

Usagi lurched upright, her eyes slowly opening. "Food?" she said to Mamoru who was once again rubbing her back.

Makoto gave a smile as she put down the tray she held, "Are you awake enough to eat now?"

Usagi buried her face in her hands and scrubbed at it slowly. "More or less. Oooh," Usagi moaned unhappily, "I feel like someone's been beating me with a baseball bat."

She at last stopped trying to massage her face awake and looked around the small but tastefully decorated room. "Where are we?"

"Ami's apartment. This is luxury living, so take a good look around," replied Minako as she came into the room. "I'm Sorry to wake you, but you've been out a while and Ami thought it a good idea if you ate something."

"Out a while?" Some of the sleep fog cleared from her mind abruptly. Memories flooded back to her. Usagi grabbed for her beloved. "Mamo-chan, are you all right? You were hurt!"

He took her face in hands and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, "I'm alive thanks to you. The shoulder is almost all healed, see…" he opened his shirt to reveal a yellowed bruise. "A few days and I'll be fine."

"How long was I asleep?" Relief flooded over Usagi, reminding her of just how tired she still was. It felt like she'd closed her eyes only a minute ago. Mako's answer stunned her.

"The better part of two days."

"Wow," said Usagi, genuinely surprised. "Oh, Setsuna! Is Setsuna all right?"

"First things first, eat," Minako said in an attempt to change the subject. She moved to get a make-up mirror from a large dresser. "Don't get too excited but there have been some…changes, Usagi-chan."

As Usagi was half-heartedly shoveling some thing that looked like stew in her mouth, Mamoru sat down beside her on the bed. Minako held the mirror up and Usagi saw her own reflection. She stopped with a spoonful of food in her mouth. Swallowing hard, Usagi leaned forward and took a short, strangled gulp of air.

"Oh my Lord…" she brought a hand up to the crescent moon that still shone brightly on her brow. It was then that she noticed that her hair was not only out of it's customary buns, it was now liberally streaked with silver.

"After you finished using the ginzuishou, the moon sigil never disappeared," said Mina.

"And the hair?" asked Usagi as she turned her head back and forth. From what she could see the silver was evenly distributed through her tresses.

"Ami's been keeping track of that, too." There was grim amusement in Mamoru's voice, "According to her your hair is very steadily turning to silver."

Usagi ran a hand through her hair as her mother's words came rushing back to her, "The power comes at a price," she murmured. "I guess this is the price."

"What?" asked Mamoru.

Usagi continued to stare at her reflection. "What my mother said when she appeared outside the TV station."

When there was no response Usagi turned to look at three very puzzled faces. "My mother," Usagi repeated slowly, "the Queen of the Moon Kingdom. She's about six feet tall with floor length hair. How could you miss her?"

"None of us saw her, Usagi-chan." Makoto spoke for them all. "She appeared to you?"

Before Usagi had a chance to respond the door to room cracked open slowly. Venus and Jupiter turned all ready beginning to glow with power. Mamoru rose to stand in front of Usagi. Neptune carefully popped her head in the room.

"Easy, it's just me," Michiru raised her hands as if in surrender. "Don't shoot. Is Usagi awake yet?"

Usagi leaned out from in back of her beloved and gave a short wave.

"Oh good," sighed Neptune, "Someone out here is very anxious to see her."

The door opened a bit more and a blur of black fur dashed into the room and onto the bed. Luna was so very happy to see Usagi that she was actually purring as she threw herself at her Princess. Usagi gathered her feline guardian up in her arms and gave her a hug.

"Oh Usagi," cried Luna with tears in her voice, "When you collapsed I was so frightened for you! Thank God you're all right!"

"It's okay Luna. I'm fine, just tired."

The cat finished rubbing her head against Usagi's shoulder and looked up into her face. "It's true…" her bright eyes widened first in surprise then in joy as she saw the golden crescent moon. "I couldn't be sure of what I was seeing on the television, the picture was so bad but it's true. You did it! Artemis, look at her!"

Artemis had also come into the room, albeit more quietly. He was in Mina's arms talking to her when he heard Luna's call. He inhaled sharply as he got a good look at Usagi. "She's achieved the Balance," he whispered.

"Luna, do you know what's going on here?" asked Mamoru as he came to sit beside Usagi once more. He took his beloved's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She seemed to be fading out again as he watched.

"Usagi, when you used the Ginzuishou, it was different this time, ne?" The cat gave the impression she knew the answer before she finished asking the question.

"Yeah, a lot different," replied Usagi as she settled back into the pillows. "My mother came and said something about there being a price for the power I needed and then…wham."

Mamoru slipped an arm around her and she snuggled into it. Her voice was slurred with fatigue as she began to drift back to sleep. "I don't what I did but it felt really good. Well, it felt really good until it all just stopped. Then it hurt like hell."

"You achieved Balance with the Silver Crystal," Luna began. "Your mother wasn't able to do it until she was almost fifty! It allows you to channel the raw power of the Silver Millennium. It's what makes the ginzuishou so sought after. You have access to the primal forces of creation through it."

Artemis had taken his customary position on Mina's shoulder. "That kind of power comes at a dangerous price. It's very rarely used because more often than not, it kills the person using it. You were lucky, Usagi. You managed to stop before you burned yourself out."

Luna was on a roll now. She didn't see that Usagi was asleep in Mamoru's arms. "You'll notice a few changes, Usagi. Your hair will turn to silver, you may not be able to henshin for a while and…" Luna turned to see her Princess out like the sandman had hit on the head with a two by four. "…you'll sleep a lot while your body adjusts."

Mamoru gave a half smile as he looked down at Usagi. "Any idea how long she'll be like this?"

"From what I remember, a few days," replied Artemis. "A week at most, I think. Does that sound right to you Luna?"

Luna nodded as she looked at the beautiful picture the princess and prince made together. "I think so. Queen Selene was all ready well over three hundred years old by the time Artemis and I came into her service. She had achieved the Balance long before either of us was born and only mentioned it in passing."

Haruka was suddenly at the door again, quietly peering into the room. "Lorilei's all set. Is Usagi asleep again? She should know about this."

"No," said Mamoru firmly, "We'll handle this quietly. Could all of you give me a moment, please? I'll join you shortly."

Haruka raised an eyebrow at Mamoru's tone, but only inclined her head in response. Minako and Makoto along with the two cats followed Uranus out and softly shut the door behind them.

Mamoru gently settled Usagi back onto the bed and pulled the blankets up over her. His hand slowly traced the line of her face moving to gently brush against her cheek. She looked so fragile with her hair spread out around her, so small and helpless it made his arms ache with the need to hold her.

"Usako…" he whispered and even in the deepest of sleep, she sighed at the sound of his voice. "Sleep, beloved, and heal."

With a final tuck of the blanket, Mamoru moved to leave, stopping to look once more at her before closing the door behind him.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Major Kaigan had been assigned to over see the timely and very quiet transfer of Meiou Setsuna from Tokyo General Hospital. The Doctors said that she should be well enough for the trip within a day or so. The woman was only half conscious from fever and the drugs given to combat the infection that had put her in the hospital in the first place. She should prove no problem to them.

As the Major stood outside the door and peeked in at the woman in the bed, he was struck by a pang of conscience. The Senshi had never done any thing but defend this world from those who sought to harm it. So why were they being treated like this? Sailor Pluto was here because she had put herself in the way of a bullet meant for another. It was an act of honor and bravery that made the Major question his orders.

He shook his head as he moved away from the room. Orders were orders, he told himself. It was not his place to question the validity of them. When he stopped and turned to look back in the direction of Pluto's room a phrase popped into his mind.

I was just following orders.

Hadn't that been the defense of the Nazis at Nuremberg? That thought haunted him as he moved past the guards at the checkpoint near the end of the hall. Major Kaigan moved crisply though the locking doors and listened to the finality of bang that closed them tightly. He wondered if, when the time came, he'd be able to do what his superiors demanded of him.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"From what I know they're planning on moving her in the next few days," Motoki said. "As soon the Doctor in charge of the case gives the okay, that is."

Mamoru sat in chair by himself, elbows on the armrests. He thoughtfully placed his chin on the top of his interwoven fingers. "What do you think, Motoki-kun? Is Pluto strong enough for us to move before then?"

The young resident shook his head and sighed. "I'm not really sure. I think so, maybe. Making sure she stays on the medication and at the prescribed amount is vital but I have to admit I'm worried about the possibility…" his voice trailed off as figure walked slowly into the Mizuno living room, "…of shock?"

The tall woman with the hip length green hair raised her staff above her head. "Under the star of Time and Space, I am Sailor Pluto!" Whirling the long key shaped weapon, she brought it to her side with a dull thunk, "Daughter of the Fifth House, holder of the sacred chalice of Reeks, heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed!"

There was shocked silence in the room for a long minute.

"Sailor Pluto" stared silently back at the two men, very uncomfrtable in the stunned silence that pervaded the room before adding, "Really."

Motoki gave Mamoru a look of sheer confusion. "I thought she was in the hospital?"

Mamoru gave a feral smile from the chair. "This isn't Setsuna."

"It isn't? You could have fooled me," replied the young, blond resident.

"It almost fooled me and I know better." Michiru came into the room followed by the rest of the Senshi. She gave Lorilei a glance full of humor. "Really Lorilei, quoting Star Trek - 'Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed'?"

Lorilei gave a shy smile and shrugged her shoulders. "It was the best I could come up on short notice." She fingered the cheap skirt of the costume she was wearing. "And I'll have you know that Setsuna would never polyester. It makes her break out in hives."

"So we've proved that Lorilei can pass for Setsuna." Makoto put in, almost as confused as Motoki, "That's not exactly news, Mamoru. So what's the point of this little exercise?"

Mamoru stood up and walked towards the assembled heirs to the Silver Millennium. He was every inch the prince, the master of his destiny. "The point is that I'm tried of letting everyone walk all over us. Up until now, we've been reacting to what others have done. As of now, we are taking the initiative."

Makoto and Haruka exchanged wolf like smiles. "Yes!" they hissed in unison. Michiru gave a long-suffering sigh.

Mamoru took center stage and rallied his forces. "We're going down to Tokyo General and we're going to free Setsuna." He looked at Lorilei, "The easy way, if we can," then back at the Senshi, "Or the hard way, if we have to. But no one is going to hold one of us against her will."

He clenched his fist as he repeated, "No one."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Next – Chapter Seven, "Mind Games."


	8. Chapter Seven - "Mind Games"

This chapter should have something for everyone in it; romance, lust, comedy and even a little slapstick. Masked Maiden, who was kind enough to look this chapter over for me, suggested I tell you the following in advance. Fred Astaire (1899 – 1987) was, arguably, the very best movie/musical dancer of the 20th century. He was a man of such incredible grace and skill that he could and did, in the movie "Band Wagon"), dance with a broom and make the darn thing look good!

Standard Disclaimer – I don't own Sailor Moon. I wish I did because then I could afford to put central air conditioning in my very hot house.

Fatal Exposure

By Meara

Chapter Seven – "Mind Games"

Serenity came to Kashu in his dreams.

A shaft of moonlight appeared before him. Then slowly, achingly slowly, she became visible within it. The brilliant, silver luminescence pulsed and writhed before withdrawing into her body. Serenity walked towards him clothed only in the magic that shone from inside her.

She opened her arms, inviting him to join her. The two met and Kashu Hikaru pulled her into a passionate kiss. As she responded to the desire that burned in his heart, he felt some of her power flow into him until he, too, became a creature of magic. That done she stepped away from him and gave a smile.

"Now, take your rightful place as this world's master."

Kashu laughed, watching the small flickers of rainbow light silhouette his hands. Magic rushed through him like a river and he shouted with the pleasure it gave him. Nothing was beyond him now. He had the power of life and death over the smaller beings of this planet. He had ultimate control.

But most importantly he had _her_.

Serenity laughed in delight as they embraced, Hikaru crushing her in his arms. They fell to the floor entwined together. He was aware of nothing else but the feeling of her in his arms, and of the endless power that burned so sweetly, like wine in his veins.

With a wrenching jerk, Kashu Hikaru abruptly came awake. It took him a moment to realize that it had been a dream, that none of it had really happened. Not yet, anyway, Kashu told himself. He rose to splash water on his face and clear his head.

Returning to the bedroom, he fumbled with the remote and the television came to life. Kashu listened with half an ear as the talking head reporting the news went on about Sailor Pluto being put into "protective custody" by the Government.

This latest development didn't really alarm Kashu. He had ultimate faith in the Governments ability to screw up just about anything they touched. Even if they did manage detain this Pluto person, they wouldn't be able to hold her for long.

Kashu had little doubt that the Senshi were planning on rescuing Pluto from the clumsy hands of the military. That was just as well. The Senshi would waste time and energy on a fool's mission, while he simply sat back and waited for Serenity to come to him. And she would come to him eventually, of that Kashu had no doubt.

Serenity and her warriors may be too powerful for him to confront enmass, but her human family wasn't. Once he had the Tsukino's, it was only a matter of time before he had Serenity. Kashu allowed him a small smile of satisfaction as the plan unfolded in his mind. It would be all too easy.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Usagi walked through the flowerbeds in the great garden within the first gate of the moon castle. A light breeze sprang up and it carried the scent of green, growing things. She stopped and knelt among the flowers. Taking a deep breath, Usagi allowed the delicate fragrance to fill her, washing away her troubles. She knew she was dreaming but Usagi was so happy to feel safe and at peace again that she didn't care if was "real" or not.

"Serenity."

Cerulean blue eyes turned to see the graceful figure of her mother walking towards her. A smile of welcome lit her face and she held out her arms to her daughter. With a cry of joy Usagi rush to her and hugged her tightly.

Queen Selene returned to embrace. "Happy to be home, kitten?"

"I never realized just how much I missed this place, until now," Usagi sighed and allowed herself a moment to bask in the glow of her mother's love.

"Things have been so hard lately, mother and I'm afraid it's going to get worse. We've never done anything but protect Earth. Why can't they just accept us?"

"I don't know," replied the old Queen with regret, "I really don't know. It's always been this way between the people of the Earth and the Moon. Part of it is envy, I suspect, but most of it is simply fear of those who are 'different'. A thousand years have passed and yet they're provoked into violence by the fear of the unknown? How very sad."

"Oh mother, what do I do now?" Usagi wanted to be a little girl again and have her mother make everything thing right.

"Serenity, my dearest daughter, it's time," she said as she reached out and cupped her daughter's chin in one elegant hand. "You are ready to ascend the throne and more than ready to become Queen."

"Umm, Mom, Queen of what? This is a nice dream and all, but when I wake up the Moon Kingdom will still be nothing but ruins," Usagi said.

The Queen took Usagi by the hand and led her to a marble bench. "Earth will always need the protection of the Moon Kingdom. That last, awful night, when I sent you into the future to be reborn, I also sent everyone and everything I could. The Silver Millennium will rise and be restored again through you, Serenity."

Selene paused at the utterly confused look on her daughter's face. "Don't worry, you'll figure it all out eventually, dear."

"Luna said that you sent some of the Moon Kingdom's people into the future to be reborn, like Setsuna's sister, Lorilei. Is that true?"

Selene smiled, "So she and Setsuna found each other again? It's good to know that some things have been made right once more. Most of the Moon Kingdom's people still sleep, Serenity, but, yes, they'll awaken now that you have achieved the Balance. Some will remember faster than others, but all will eventually awaken."

"So, how will I now them?" Usagi asked. "Oh geez, Mother, things are bad enough now. I don't want to think about how people will react when they find out there's an entire Kingdom of Lunarians living on earth. What do I do?"

"You'll know what to do when the time is right. I have faith in you, my dearest daughter," replied the Queen in an even tone.

The future Queen of Earth made a sound of total frustration that sounded suspiciously like a dog growling, "Now I know why my hair is turning silver."

Her mother just laughed, "I know how you feel, dear. I've been there." She leaned over and gave her daughter a conspiratorial wink, "and I'll have you know I hated it when my hair changed. Well, at least at first anyway. Soon enough I discovered that not having pink hair anymore meant I could wear a lot more colors."

"Pink hair? You had pink hair?!"

"Where do you think my future granddaughter gets her hair color? Surely not from her father's side of the family," replied Selene. She gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek. "Trust in yourself Serenity and trust in those who love you. That has always been your greatest strength."

With a frustrated huff, Usagi threw up her arms, "This dream sucks! Nothing you're saying is making any sense. If it's so important then why can't you just tell me what I need to know right now?"

"I'm sorry," her mother replied with a shake of her head, "But I don't make the rules. I just have to play by them."

"So who does make the rules?" Usagi had to ask.

Selene started to fade away but as she did she pointed one, long, elegant finger upwards, "_He_ does and trust me dear child, He can get very ticked off when people ignore them."

****

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Minako sat in a chair across from the couple on the large, white couch. The glass-topped coffee table in between them had a newspaper that screamed a headline about the confrontation at the television station. Sailor Venus was prominently featured in the large, color photo just under the headline. She wasn't sure what surprised her more, the fact that her parents actually appeared to be listening to her for a change, or that she managed to keep such a calm tone of voice.

"So, you see, I was first Sailor V, then Sailor Venus," she said as she finished up her explanation of who and what she really was.

Her mother and father glanced at each other quickly. For some reason that look made Minako very nervous. "Well?" she asked in the ensuing silence.

Her mother folded her hands primly on her designer dress. "Minako, dear, you don't have to be afraid anymore. Your father and I understand that you've been under the influence of these aliens. We forgive you for your outrageous behavior," she spoke slowly.

"What?"

"Don't you worry, Minako," her father added quickly, "all those crazy things you've done in the past, this fixation with being an actress, we know it isn't you. It's because of them." He ignored the anger he could see dawning on his daughter's face. "But now that we know what's really going on, we've arranged for some help."

Minako could only stare at her parents blankly as a man came into the room. It's was as if she had turned to ice, unable to move. The man approached her and gave a smile that never reached his eyes.

"Hello, Minako," he said, "Your mother and father have told what happened. Don't worry, in a few weeks you'll be clear of the influence those aliens have exerted on you. I can help you to be free of them."

She continued to look at first her parents then turned to look fully at the man with the disingenuous smile. Something inside her snapped and she began to laugh, softly at first, then with increasing volume. Her parents exchanged a worried look.

"Minako, what…" her father began.

"A deprogrammer?" Minako finally said through the bitter laughter that exploded from her, "You hired a DEPROGRAMMER? Oh thank you Mom and Dad! I get it now, I finally get it now!"

The man moved towards her, "Look, you're confused…"

"Oh no, I'm not!" shouted Minako at the top of her lungs, "I'm seeing things very clearly for the first time in my life. I'm so sorry to be such an embarrassment to you and the good old family name but guess what? You don't have to be embarrassed anymore."

She leaned towards her parents and spat out the next words with precision, "I'm not your daughter! You two aren't my family and you never were. Queen Selene picked you, 'Mom', because you could carry me to term. That's right, you were nothing more than a baby machine, a handy womb."

The deprogrammer began to move in Minako's direction. She raised a single finger to him in warning, "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Lay a hand on me, you twit, and I'll throw you out the nearest window." She snapped her head back to face the two who had raised her, "Why did I even bother? Why did I think you could possibly care about anyone other than yourselves?"

She rose to her feet and with a motion of disgust moved for the front door. The deprogrammer lunged for her, grabbing Minako by one arm. Not even bothering to transform, she casually took the arm, shifted her weight and tossed him into glass coffee table.

"Minako stop!" her father called, "You can't know what you're doing! He can help to make you normal."

"You are both such fools," came a deep male voice.

Every head in the room turned around in the direction of that voice. Jumping down from the window sill, a white cat gracefully came to stand between Minako and the others. "Do you have any idea of the treasure that was given to you in Minako? You were entrusted with a jewel beyond earthly value but are too blind to see her worth."

"Artemis…," whispered Minako. He padded towards her and leapt into her waiting arms. "Oh Artemis, you shouldn't have come."

He looked at her with eyes full of anger and compassion, "And leave you to the likes of them? Why didn't you tell me what you were up to Minako? I'd never let you face them alone."

"They don't love me," she whispered. Part of her had known this for a long time, but there was certain, painful, finality to saying it aloud. Minako buried her face in his soft, snowy coat as tears threatened to erupt. "You love me, don't you Artemis?"

"Always, my sweet Princess," he replied, the note of desperation in Minako's voice breaking his heart.

Minako's mother gave a strangled scream and fainted. Her father was helping the deprogrammer to his feet as Minako, with Artemis still in her arms, headed for the door. The Princess of Venus tried to turn a deaf ear to her father's shouts at her to stop.

"Don't go, Minako! Do you hear me? Don't you dare walk away from me! If you go out that door you can't ever come back!"

She broke into a run and threw the door wide open. Holding her feline guardian tightly, Minako moved away as fast as her legs would carry her. Her father's shouts followed her as she ran sobbing down the front stairs that would take her away from her here and from her old life.

"You can't ever come back!"

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Mamoru sat on the edge of the bed and watched Usagi as she slept. The physical changes in her had accelerated in the last day. Her hair was now the color of moonlight and markedly longer than it had been. The crescent moon that decorated her forehead glowed softly, lit by the power that lived in his beloved now.

She stirred and her eyes half opened. "Mamo-chan?"

"Right here," he took her hand in his.

"I was home," Usagi said in voice still heavily laced with fatigue, "I was home on the moon and it so peaceful there."

Mamoru reached out and stroked her head, noticing the warmth that came from the moon sigil as he did so. "Sounds like a nice dream, Usako."

"Are you all right?" she asked him despite the almost overwhelming need to sleep again. "Something's wrong, isn't it? Is it my family?"

"No," Mamoru reassured her. He took all his own worries and walled them deep inside his heart, realizing that Usagi was somehow picking them up through the bond they shared. "Your family is fine. Luna is due back from seeing them in a few minutes. If you can stay awake that long, you can talk to her. From what she tells me the media has backed off somewhat. You may be able to go back there in a couple of days."

"Really?" Usagi was losing the fight to stay awake. "You'd tell me if something was wrong, wouldn't you?"

"What could be wrong Usako? Look, you're finally getting to do nothing but eat and sleep so enjoy it while it lasts, ne?" He gathered her in his arms enjoying how she snuggled up to him. "Are you still tired? You can sleep as long as you want to."

Usagi leaned her head into his chest as she faded back to sleep. "I can? You say the nicest things, Mamo-chan."

He leaned down and placed a tender kiss on her lips, which she returned before falling back into dreams. Mamoru held her in his arms for a few minutes, enjoying the peace that being so close to her gave him.

While he called Usako, the name Serenity held a unique place in his heart. His beloved had a special kind of magic that could calm his deepest fears and bring solace to his troubled soul.

Giving Usagi a final kiss on the forehead and placing her back on the bed, Mamoru went to sit in a chair in one corner of the bedroom. The sun sent slanted amber rays in the window near the seat. There was a small table by the chair where a potted narcissus sat soaking up the warmth of the late day sunshine. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting the flower's sweet, serene scent wash over him.

_'You're troubled, my Prince'_

Mamoru's snapped his head up. Within the golden afternoon light a figure walked toward him. The man with silver hair that fell to his shoulders came to kneel before Mamoru in respect.

"Kunzite…"

The one time general and advisor to Prince Endymion rose. His body wasn't quite solid and faded in and out even as he spoke. '_Your need brought me here. You're worried about the Princess?'_

"This is my fault. She's like this because I was hurt," Mamoru sighed heavily as he leaned back in the chair. I'm supposed to protect her. So why does it always seem that she's the one in danger because of me?"

Kunzite folded his arms across his chest. '_Did you shoot yourself? Did you shoot Lady Pluto'_

"No."

_'Did you, perhaps, paint a target on your chest? Hire a bard to follow you about, singing loudly that you wished to be shot right above the heart?'_

That statement caused Mamoru to chuckle, "No."

_'Then why are you blaming yourself? Your enemies would just love to have you paralyzed by self-doubt. And make no mistake about it my Prince, there are dark forces at work here, subtle and very dangerous. They seek the ruin of you and of the Princess.'_

"I can see what's starting to happen, Kunzite. It's a story I know all too well. This is so much like those last days before the Moon Kingdom fell," said Mamoru.

"I see the old hates and fears being stirred up and I can't seem to find a way to stop it. Hasn't mankind learned anything in the last thousand years? I wish you could be here in more than just spirit, old friend. I could use your help right about now."

Kunzite moved to the window. For a moment he seemed more a man than a shadow. There was pain in his eyes as he saw Minako running in the front of the building. 'At this moment I would give more than you'll ever know to be able to do just that. I understand how hard it is to watch someone you love in pain and be unable to help them.'

He jolted away rfom his private thoughts and back to his duty_. With_ bow, Kunzite began to fade away. '_Use your knowledge of the past's mistakes and perhaps this time you can write a different end to the story.'_

__

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

In the center of an English garden a small table was set for three. The roses were coming into bloom, as were the day lilies and hyacinth. A slight breeze carried the pleasant scent of sun-warmed grass and the distant sea. Brightly colored birds moved through trees, their sweet song completing this most perfect of early summer days.

A fine pot of Formosa Oolong tea sat in the middle of the table, covered by a gardenia shaped tea cozy. Small, delicate pastries were laid out on a platter beside the pot. Setsuna, Princess of Pluto and Keeper of the Timegate smiled and rose from one of the chairs at the table as her two guests arrived.

Rembrandt Van Rijn and Albert Einstein each gave a courtly bow as they approached her. With great satisfaction Setsuna settled in for an afternoon of stimulating conversation and perfectly brewed tea. She jumped slightly, turning as a figure appeared at her elbow.

"Suna," said Lorilei, "You're dreaming. Wake up!"

Setsuna gave her twin a look of surprise. "I am? I thought I was having tea?"

"No, you're dreaming. Look, trust me on this one, okay? I'm sorry, but you have to wake up now.

Setsuna sighed and closed her eyes in concentration. The world around her blurred as the garden disappeared. In it's place a grand ballroom faded into view. A huge chandelier of the finest cut crystal reflected the many candles that illuminated the scene.

She wore a damask silk gown of emerald green with cream-colored lace at the sleeves. The sounds a Strauss waltz filled the ballroom. From out of the crowd came a tall, elegant man in a black tuxedo. He went to Setsuna and held out one hand in invitation.

"May I have this dance, my Lady?"

She smiled her acceptance and together they glided across the inlaid parquet floor. The other couples in the crowd moved away and let them have center stage. Setsuna was swept away, lost in the joy of dancing with this amazingly agile, athletic and graceful man. As she gazed into his eyes, the slow realization of his true identity filtered into her brain.

She was dancing with Fred Astaire. Since the former RKO movie star had died in 1987 at the age of 88, it was disturbing to see him looking so young and so very black and white. Setsuna noticed that he was only in black and white while the rest of the world around them was in living color.

Ginger Rogers, Fred's regular partner, was on the sidelines giving the Princess of Pluto an evil look. As they turned and headed back across the floor Setsuna caught a glimpse of Lorilei. The idea that something was not quite right nagged at her.

What exactly that "something" was becoming evident as she recognized the two figures standing on either side of her twin. That Wiley Coyote and Patrick Stewart should be in the same room at the same time struck her as wrong. Her suspicions were confirmed as she and Fred glided by Lorilei and her companions. The three of them held up placards that had each had one word apiece written on it. As Setsuna concentrated she could make out the words.

You're

Still

Dreaming!

Wiley Coyote then reached behind his back and pulled out a tiny sign on a stick. It read, "Wake Up!"

It was the pain that convinced her that she was indeed awake this time. She still felt very odd, as if she was standing behind a thick glass window watching the world go by. For a long moment, Setsuna wasn't entirely sure of where she was or how she got there. More than anything she wanted to just let go and drift back down into dreams.

Then the memory of the shooting hit her like a tsunami.

Although Usagi had stopped the bleeding and healed most of the damage the bullet had caused, a piece of her fuku had been sealed inside her body. The wound had closed making her quite ill while her body tried to rid her of the infection it caused. Not only that but one of her kidneys had been badly bruised and wasn't functioning very well.

The IV in Setsuna's arm pumped massive doses of an antibiotic into her. She was still plagued by a high fever and her body ached miserably. The Senshi of Pluto's vision finally cleared and she at last noticed a man in military uniform standing in the room.

It was hard to think clearly. "Who are you?" she managed to ask in a weak voice.

"I'm Major Kaigan, Meiou-san. I am in charge of moving you into 'protective custody' tomorrow."

Setsuna managed to arch one, elegant eyebrow at the man. "Thank you, Major, but I must decline your kind offer of 'protection'. I am more than capable of taking care of myself."

"I'm sorry," There was honest regret in the Major's voice as he answered her, "But you really don't have any choice in this matter."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Well?" Mamoru asked Lorilei. The young woman's eyes were glazed and vacant as she "spoke" with Setsuna. He had to admit that having the two of them linked like this made things a lot easier.

"The Major is gone now. Furuhata-san was right, they're planning on moving her tomorrow," replied Lorilei.

Mamoru nodded gravely. "Does Setsuna understand what we're going to do?"

Lorilei relayed the plan. She grimaced after a long moment.

"What's wrong?" asked Mamoru.

Inside her head Lorilei could hear Setsuna's angry voice. The sensation was similar to that of having someone shout in your ear. Setsuna may have been gravely ill, but her mental "voice' was as firm as ever.

_'You're going to stand on the WINDOW LEDGE, pretend to be Sailor Pluto and then jump off of it? I'm on the sixth floor! Have you lost your mind?!"_

"Setsuna has some reservations about the plan," Lorilei translated, diplomatically.

"We don't have time for this," Mamoru sighed as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a rose. The air shimmered and Tuxedo Kamen suddenly stood beside Lorilei. "Just tell Setsuna to be ready for Motoki. She can argue with me later, once when we're all safely away from here."

_'Hear that Suna? Now be a good girl and do as the Prince says,' _Lorilei sent.

Setsuna grumbled, reaching with clumsy fingers to remove her IV. She shook with effort as she swung her feet over the side of the bed and stumbled to her feet.

_That's odd_, Setsuna thought to herself as her knees threatened to buckle, _my legs worked the last time I used them._

The door opened and Motoki walked in glancing behind him. "Thank you, but I think I can handle her all by myself, Sergeant. She's still very sick."

Motoki waited until the door was fully closed before moving to assist Setsuna. She swayed on her feet as he helped her move towards the bathroom. "Do you know what to do?" he asked her gently.

Setsuna gave a grim smile. "Yes, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Are you ready?"

Settling the ill Senshi of Pluto on the edge of the bathtub, he gave her a confident wink. "Hey, think of it this way, I've wanted to be able be a dashing hero like Mamoru-kun for years. Now I get my chance!" He thrust his chin at her. "Go ahead, give me your best shot."

Drawing back a shaking arm, Setsuna concentrated, and then let a blow fly. It struck Motoki on the left cheek and he reeled. Biting back a vulgar exclamation of pain, he looked in the small mirror over the sink. Sure enough, the area was red and beginning to swell.

"Well, this will look convincing…" he mumbled as he glanced at chagrined Setsuna. "Now stay quiet no matter what happens, ne?"

Motoki heard Setsuna give an unhappy but affirmative response as he went back into the room. Lorilei was at the window perched precariously on the small ledge. She smiled as he gave her a thumbs up sign. Lorilei repeated the gesture.

The guard in the hall was bored. At first the idea of being picked to watch over the alien had seemed like a plum assignment. However, he'd hardly seen the woman in question. It turned out that the only excitement he likely was to see was the baseball game playing on the small television at his desk.

The quiet was broken by a shout, a thud and the sound of breaking glass. The sergeant clambered to his feet, knocking over his chair as he went. When he thrust the door opened he saw three things that vied for his attention.

First was the semi-conscious young doctor moaning on the floor. The second was that a chair was missing from the room. It had most likely been used to make the large, gaping hole in the window where the glass used to be. But what really grabbed his attention was the young woman with the green hair in the sailor fuku on the ledge. She raised her staff and gave him a look of utter scorn.

"No one may hold the Senshi of Pluto against her will!" With a hop and a leap into the air, 'Sailor Pluto' fell away from the window.

The sergeant rushed back for his desk and the telephone on it. "She's escaping!" he shouted into it, "Sailor Pluto is trying to get away!"

Setsuna made this sort of thing look way too easy when she did it, Lorilei thought as she fell. The parking lot seemed to be rushing up at her at an alarming rate. Oh yes, Lorilei decided as she looked at the rapidly approaching asphalt, this is definitely going to hurt!

All the air was pushed from her lungs as something collided with her. Strong arms took her by the waist and pulled her close. With the strength of the totally panicked Lorilei clutched at Tuxedo Kamen.

"Ohmygod,ohmygod,OH-MY-GOD!" she babbled, running her words together in a fit of nerves.

Mamoru laughed lightly at her discomfort as they landed first on a second story window ledge, then finally on the ground. Although she was sorely tempted, Lorilei refrained from dropping to her knees and kissing the earth.

"Please tell me Tuxedo Kamen-sama," Lorilei asked in a breathless, squeaky voice, "Does jumping off of rooftops ever get any easier?"

He gave her a rakish wink as he stepped back against the side of the building, "The first hundred times are the hardest. After that, it's a piece of cake."

Collecting herself, Lorilei stood in the middle of the parking lot and glanced up at the sixth floor. Sure enough, about ten seconds later, a dozen uniformed men appeared in the window and shouted at her to stop.

She placed the faux Timestaff that came with the cheap Pluto costume at her side and did her best Setsuna, I'm-the-way-too-serious-Senshi-of-Time, imitation. To make sure the soldiers saw her, Lorilei waved, shouted "Sayonara suckers!" then took off at a dead run.

Tuxedo Kamen kept pace with her, hugging the side of the building, an unseen escort. The fake Pluto was making good time, arms pumping away as she reached top speed. "Go right at the corner!" he called to her.

Taking a hard right, Lorilei skidded to a halt, slipping on some sand in the parking lot and ending up on her bottom. "These things never happen to Setsuna…" she said as she stumbled to her feet.

Tuxedo Kamen faded and Mamoru was back. He reached into his back pocket and produced his hospital ID card. A quick swipe and the two were in the side door. As he and Lorilei rushed down the stairs towards the basement, he pulled out a communicator and flipped it on.

"We're in," he said, "Go!"

Mercury and Mars had been waiting for that signal hidden in thick evergreen bushes that made up the hospital's attempt at landscaping. One of the nice things about the military mind, Ami decided as they crept out of the prickly cover, was that it was so very linear and orderly. Parked in front of them was a nice, neat line of military vehicles. Three jeeps, one armored troop carrier and an army ambulance made up the convoy that was supposed to carry Setsuna away from here.

Rei had a devilish grin on her face as she approached the first jeep. With a glance at Ami, she silently began her work. Palms pushed onto the pavement next to the tires, she concentrated and was delighted when, a moment later, the asphalt began to bubble and the jeep sank slightly.

Done, the Senshi of Mars moved the next vehicle and Ami stepped in and crouched down. Gathering her power between her hands, she directed icy fog onto the surface of the pavement. In seconds, the asphalt was solid again. When the soldiers tried to use these vehicles, they were in for quite a surprise.

****

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Makoto had a look on her face that Michiru had seen only a few times before. The Senshi of Jupiter was afraid. She carefully hung up the telephone. The television was turned down. Michiru couldn't make out the words.

"Hotaru and Duncan will be on the next flight to Tokyo. They should be here by tomorrow morning. What's got you so upset?"

Makoto leaned over and turned the sound up ever so slightly. The young man with the perfect cheekbones and hair had an oddly out of place smile on his face as he spoke. "…with almost complete certainty that Mizuno Ami is Sailor Mercury and that Hino Rei is Sailor Mars."

Michiru went white as she glanced at the door to the bedroom where her very vulnerable Princess slept. "Oh God…"

The newscaster continued to go on in a cheerful voice. "We have camera crews on route to the Mizuno home in the Juban district of Tokyo."

A female talking head now joined the man on the screen. "That's right Yoshi, and I'm on my way to the Hikawa Temple. As reported at the top of the broadcast, we have uncovered the civilian identities of at least two of the so called 'Sailor Senshi' so stay tuned for…"

Both were on their feet before the picture faded away from the screen. Makoto ran into the bedroom and emerged less than a minute later with still sleeping Usagi in her arms.

Michiru scrambled around the Mizuno apartment gathering clothes, blankets and her purse. She ran down a mental checklist of what they had to have. There was too much to do in too short a time.

"Leave it," barked Mako, "we've got to go now!"

Abandoning what she couldn't easily carry, Michiru bolted for the front door of the Mizuno apartment. A quick look assured her that the hallway was clear, at least for now and she nodded to Mako. As they dashed off for Michiru's car neither noticed that Makoto's small communicator had been left behind in the rush.

****

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

As hoped for, confusion had set in by the time Mamoru and Lorilei got to Setsuna's room. Thanks to the small bag of clothes that Ami's mother had left behind the medical incinerator (which even now was burning the Pluto costume and balsa wood Timestaff to ashes) in the

basement, they both looked very official. The green hospital scrubs made them appear to be just any other pair of over worked, under rested residents.

The soldiers were taking orders from an officer who barely noticed them as they strolled past, pushing the gurney into Setsuna's room. Motoki was still on the floor. He gave a load moan for effect as he heard the door open. Mamoru shut the door behind him.

"Are you okay Motoki-kun?" he asked as he helped the young doctor to his feet. "You're going to have a lovely black eye in a few hours." Mamoru commented as he handed Motoki a pair of green scrubs to put on.

Lorilei made straight for the bathroom and was helping a very unsteady Setsuna out towards them about the time Motoki finished hastily pulling on the disguise.

"Hang on, Suna," Lorilei was whispering to her as Mamoru took the ill Senshi in his arms. "We're getting you out of here."

Major Kaigan was still barking orders as he spoke on the telephone to his superiors. A part of his mind registered that the gurney with the three doctors was going by him and into the elevator.

"The window, sir. Yes, I know we're on the sixth floor. Right away, Sir." Kaigan nearly slammed the telephone back down onto the receiver in disgust.

"You and you," he called to the only two soldiers left by him, "seal off this floor. I don't want a breeze to get in or out of here without my express approval!"

It wasn't until the soldiers ran off to as they had been told the knowledge seeped into Kaigan's mind. Three doctors? Three doctors had left, but only two came in. With a curse he glanced at the elevator and saw that it seemed to be heading for the basement. He rushed for the stairs.

Mamoru didn't like this one bit. Setsuna lay on the gurney, only half conscious and burning with fever. She was sweating heavily, her breathing labored. Lorilei stood next to her, holding Setsuna's hand and calling gently to her. The damn elevator seemed to be taking forever to get to the basement.

At last they glided to a stop and the doors slid open. Major Kaigan stood in front of them, gun drawn and breathing heavily. The sound of the safety clicking off was clearly audible.

"You're not going anywhere."

****

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Next: Chapter 8 – "Fire Storm"


	9. Chapter Eight - "Firestorm"

Please be advised that this story contains some violence and sexual content. It is rated PG-13 

"Fatal Exposure"

By Meara

Chapter Eight – Firestorm

Major Kaigan stood in front them, legs braced and arms extended as he clicked the safety off the gun he pointed at them. Mamoru moved slowly to put himself between the weapon and the two women behind him. Lorilei held Setsuna's hand, huddling protectively over her almost unconscious sister. Poor Motoki was flustered by the whole situation and stood stock still, most likely in shock. 

"You're not going anywhere," said the Major in a no nonsense voice. "Step away from Ms. Meiou and keep your hands where I can see them."

"You don't want to do this," Mamoru replied. He kept his voice even, he looked the Major in the eyes. 

"I have orders that this woman is going into protective custody."

Mamoru moved only his head, but it was enough to display his disgust. "We both know that 'protective custody' is a polite way of saying that you're keeping her a prisoner. You can't believe that this a just action, Major."

Kaigan's hands were steady as he continued to point the gun at Mamoru's chest. "What I think doesn't matter. I have my orders." Though the words sounded convincing, there was something, like regret, in the man's voice.

"Of course what you think matters," Mamoru snapped back at him. A rose formed inside the hand still by his side and unseen by the officer. He knew he'd never have to the time to throw it before the Major shot him dead, but if necessary, he'd use it as a last resort. 

"You aren't a machine, you have a heart and conscience. What does that heart tell you right now, Major? Because I'm willing to bet that you have your own doubt about the validity of your so called orders." 

How did he know, thought Kaigan as he continued to hold the gun on Mamoru, and why does he have to be right! In a long moment of uncomfortable silence, the Major looked at the people in front of him. The man confronting him (who he suspected was none other than Chiba Mamoru) wouldn't back down. He'd have to kill him to get the Meiou woman.

"I won't let you take Setsuna," Mamoru said as if reading the Major's thoughts, "You'll have to kill me to get to her."

"And me," said the woman holding Setsuna's hand. The Major saw that she was frightened, but meant what she said. 

"And me, too," added Motoki. 

The quiet courage in Chiba Mamoru's eyes was more than the Major could bear. He was beaten and he knew it. With an angry hiss he pointed the muzzle of the gun into the air. 

"Damn it all," Kaigan growled, "why do you have to be right?"

Loud voices began to echo in the stairwell in back of the Major. His eyes darted towards the sound, then back at Mamoru. "Go. I'll do what I can to delay them."

"Thank you," said Mamoru. He stood tall, regal and commanding. There was gratitude in his eyes and he cracked a small smile. "I'm not one to forget a debt. When you need me, all you have to do is ask."

The Major was struck by the sheer power of his personality. This was a man of honor. "Don't thank me yet. I only do what Bushido requires of me. Now, go!"

As he disappeared into the stairwell, Motoki gave a loud sigh of relief. "Man, this a lot harder than you make it look, Mamoru-kun. So, just how have you managed to stay alive this long?"

They pushed the gurney out the elevator and down the hall and around a corridor to where a car waited. "Skill and more luck than I want to think about."

A sleek, red sports car was waiting with the engine running. As they bundled Setsuna and Lorilei into it, a tall sandy haired woman hopped out to help them.

"This is as far as you go, Motoki-kun," aid Mamoru. He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You've all ready done more than I asked."

Motoki's face lit up with a sly smile. For a moment he looked like a little boy contemplating mischief. "Hey, what are friends for? A little kidnapping, evading the military and even a touch of suspense it's all in a day's work for Dr. Furuhata, Super Intern!" He gave Mamoru a snappy salute, trotting away as he pushed the gurney back towards the elevator. 

Mamoru smiled and shook his head. He was blessed in having someone like Motoki as a friend and he knew it. The Prince of Earth could only hope that the cover story they'd concocted for Motoki would hold. 

The elevator would go back to the lobby level with young and innocent Dr. Furuhata sprawled "unconscious" on it. The black eye (and Mamoru suspected a possibly fractured nose from where Setsuna had hit him) lending credibility that Sailor Pluto had knocked him out before she 

escaped.

Mamoru glanced at where Setsuna lay with Lorilei on the back floor of the car as he got into it. Haruka raised her eyebrows at him, itching to get going. Sitting in a car with the engine idling was against her nature.

"Shall we be off, then?" 

Mamoru nodded and flipped the small communicator open again. "Venus, we're ready. Mercury, Mars head for the rendezvous sight."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Kashu Hikaru had been more than a little surprised when he approached the Tsukino home in the Juban section of Tokyo. A day ago, members of the press and the curious had swamped it. There had been so many people, that the police had to do crowd control on the entire area. Now it was all but deserted. 

The only sign of the crush of reporters that had been there was the trash that still littered the street. Where was everyone?

Kashu was able to easily find a place to park his car, not less than a block from the house. He walked casually towards the Tsukino home, trying not to look too puzzled. It was eerily, strangely quiet as if the last few days had never happened. A single photographer, a European by the look of the young man, was snapping a few final shots of the house as Kashu approached him. He waited until the journalist was finished before asking the question that burned in his mind.

"Where is everyone?"

The photojournalist glanced up from where he knelt as he started to pack away his equipment. "The Tsukino family took off in the middle of the night. No one knows where they went, but the rumor is that they got put into 'protective' custody. Some guy in a suit flashed a badge at us and told us to get lost. The press has been ordered to sit on the story. The guy said we'll go to jail if we don't do as they say, the fascist." 

The man grimaced, showing just how much he liked the idea, "Mark my words, someone's going to go with the story. This is too big to stay hidden for long but it's not going to be me, not from Japan anyway. I'm getting out of this country today!" 

Kashu Hikaru felt as if the ground had fallen out from under him. His head spun and he took a short, sharp breath. "Do you have any idea where the Tsukino's went?" he managed to ask. 

The photographer grunted under the weight of equipment as he staggered to his feet. "That's the million dollar question, dude. Rumor has it somewhere on the island of Honshu but no one knows for sure." 

The photo-journalist rearranged the bags festooned around his upper body. "Let me give you a bit of off the record advice. I've also heard that the military is pushing the government to declare marshal law because of these Senshi. Things are going to get real ugly here, so if you're able to leave Japan, I'd do it while you still can."

Kashu watched him go, stunned and in shock. This was unexpected. His plan needed the Tsukino family to be here. He quickly adjusted his scheme. Perhaps this would work for the best after all, he thought as he made his way to the back of the house. 

With no one else at home, he just might have Serenity all to himself. Now that the crows were gone, she'd come home and he'd be waiting for her. The thought made him smile as he gained entry to the house by using a credit card to spring the cheap lock on the back door.

There was note addressed to Usagi on the kitchen table. Kashu opened it.

_Dear Usagi,_

_Ami's mother was kind enough to offer us the use of a guesthouse in the country. Being able to get away until things calm down a little seems the prudent thing to do. Dr. Mizuno says you're safe with her daughter and your friends. She also says she'll give the telephone number at our location. Please call us when you can._

_Stay safe and know that we love you._

_Mom_

Kashu tucked the note in his pocket. He settled quietly in the living room. The voice inside him said to just be patient. It was better that the family wasn't here. He could use their absence to his 

advantage. The ideas he'd come up with so far had always worked, so Kashu saw no reason to doubt that this one would succeed too. 

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Artemis was worried about Mina. After she'd run sobbing from the Aino house, she'd collected herself a little too quickly. The icy calm that came over the princess of Venus disturbed him. He'd tried to talk to her, get her to vent some of the feelings that were bottled up inside 

her, but Mina had just shook her head.

"Later. I'll deal with it later."

He'd insisted on coming with her while she waited for her part in the plan to free Setsuna. All Mina had to do was use her acting skills to create a minor diversion as Haruka drove Mamoru, Setsuna and Lorilei away. 

"It'll be like the old days when you were Sailor V, just the two of us out there against the enemy," Artemis told her. In reality he didn't want to leave her alone right now.

So there they sat, on a bench outside the hospital waiting for Mamoru's signal. Minako was going to have a very convincing "fit" of hysteria that would bring people running. That was the original plan, anyway. The crowd was larger than Mina had expected. They watched silently as one after another, satellite trucks pulled into the hospital parking lot.

"This isn't good," Artemis mumbled in Mina's lap.

"Something's up," agreed Minako. "That's for sure."

The small watch-like device on Minako's wrist gave a chirp. As she flipped it open, Mamoru's voice would be heard. "Venus, we're ready. Mercury, Mars head for the rendezvous sight." 

Minako got to her feet and started to walk towards the crush of news people. The sound of a dozen languages could be heard as various perfectly coifed men and women spoke to the audiences at home. As if on cue, they all suddenly stopped. 

Every head swung towards the front of the lot, where a car was entering. Like spooked sheep they all turned as one and rushed for the car. Within seconds the car was surrounded by an impenetrable mass of humanity. 

"Oh damn," cursed Minako. Her audience was running away in the opposite direction of where she needed them be. "What's all this about?"

It was then that she recognized the car as belonging to Ami's mother. Someone in the throng spoke in Japanese and she was able to clearly understand what was happening at last. 

"Is it true Mizuno-san? Is your daughter Sailor Mercury? Where is she now?"

They knew, Minako thought, but how did they find out? Things went from bad to worse as she spied Haruka's car. It was trying to quietly exit the parking lot, but was blocked in by people. Someone was bound to look in the windows and recognize Mamoru. 

"Time for plan 'B', Artemis!" Minako called out in a loud voice.

"Plan 'B'? We don't have a plan…" 

Before the guardian cat could finish his thought, Minako sprinted away and with a leap got onto the hood of the nearest satellite truck. A hop took her to the roof as Artemis's heart sank. He 

suddenly had a funny feeling that he knew just what plan "B" was all about.

Putting her fingers in her mouth, the tall, lithe blonde gave a piecing whistle. About half of those in the crowd turned to look at her as she yelled out, "Hey boys! You want something for the evening news? How's this?"

Out came the henshin wand and with a call of "Venus eternal power, make up," she transformed right in the middle of the throng. Taking a powerful leap, Venus moved to the top of another truck nearer the back of the lot, and away from the entrance.

Running her hand through the golden hair that fell to the bow on her fuku, she struck a pose that practically screamed out to be photographed. "Gather round, people, and get the latest! My name is Aino Minako and I am Sailor Venus, soldier of love, Princess of Venus."

The press was, predictably, focused on Venus as she shouted out who she was. In the background, Mina could see Haruka's car pulling away. She flashed a brilliant smile.

"That Aino Minako. A-I-N-O…oh boy…" in the very back of the crowd Mina could see a dozen soldiers rushing at her. "I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen, that's our show for today. It's time for me to go. See 'ya!"

She jumped down from the truck and took off and around the back of the building. The soldiers and one persistent junior officer followed. Artemis was at her heels and he shouted up at her.

"What do you think you're doing? We should have gone down the street not back here!"

Mina didn't answer him but did pause to make sure she hadn't completely lost the men following her. Sure enough, they rounded the corner and Venus made sure they saw her before running again. She was almost off of the hospital grounds when they finally got just where she wanted them. Right in front of were the three army jeeps all in a nice, neat row. 

"Into the vehicles!" shouted the officer. "We can catch her in jeeps!"

If anyone noticed that the wheels on the back of the vehicles were somewhat lower than the front, no one said anything. In fact, the first clue they had that something was amiss was when the man driving the first jeep gunned the engine and prepared to take off in an oily squeal of tires. 

With a six-cylinder roar the jeep lurched forward and pulled the chaise right off the back axle. 

The sound of the junior officer cursing loudly was very sweet in Mina's ears as she and Artemis took off towards the rendezvous point. Heading for the Hikawa temple Mina noticed all the fire trucks heading into the Juban section of town. What ever was happening Venus was grateful that, for once, it didn't involve the Senshi.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Awakening was different this time for Usagi. It brought with it a sense that she was at last somewhat rested. It brought with a sense that she could actually stay awake for more than a few minutes at a time. It also brought with it a sense of mild pain in her lower back. It was then that Usagi realized she was lying down in the very small back seat of a car.

"We've got to warn, them," came Mako's voice. "How could I have been so stupid as to leave my communicator at Ami's?"

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Mako-chan," it was Michiru speaking now, "We did what we had to."

Usagi lurched upright. "I don't suppose either of you would care to tell me what's going on?"

"Usagi-chan, you're awake," said Mako.

Usagi rubbed at her eyes. " And I'm planning to stay that way for a while. Now, why do you have to warn people?"

Michiru sighed, "The press is outing Rei and Ami as Mars and Mercury. I don't know if they can really prove it but they're running with the story. The Mizuno apartment was about to be over run. That's why we had to leave so quickly."

"Everyone else is getting Setsuna from the hospital," Makoto put in. She wasn't about to tell Usagi that the others were, in reality, breaking the Senshi of Pluto out of military custody. Luna had warned them that with all the changes going on in Usagi's body what she needed most was rest and peace right now. "They're taking her back to the temple."

"Let me guess," said Usagi, "the temple is swarming with people, too."

"Exactly. The Prince left us to protect you. Mamoru-san would not be happy if we took you into the madhouse that's brewing at Rei's." Michiru was walking a very fine line. She didn't want to alarm her Princess, but she wasn't about to out right lie to her either.

Usagi looked around. "We're close to my house. Why don't I just go home? From what you've said the press is going to be other places. If it's quiet at my house, I can stay there. I really want to see my family and I want to take a shower and get a change of clothes, too. I feel grungy. Besides," she put in with a sly smile, "I'm willing to bet it's the last place anyone would look for me."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It was the smoke that first alerted Rei that something was wrong. The traffic had just about come to a complete stop in the neighborhood surrounding the Hikawa shrine. Rather than face the grim-looking policeman who seemed to be stopping each car then turning them around, Rei pulled into the nearest parking lot. 

The smell of smoke held the pungent aroma of aged wood. The air was heavy with it as she got out and started on foot for the shrine. Panic began to pull at Rei's heart, making it pound in her chest. Turning the corner, her heart almost stopped.

The Hikawa shrine was burning.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Mom, Dad?" Usagi called as she walked through the kitchen, "Shingo? Where is everyone?"

A quick peek into the living room showed that it, too, was empty. Puzzled, but not alarmed, Usagi climbed the stairs to her bedroom. After spending the last few days in the house hiding from the press, they had most likely jumped at the chance to get out for a while. It was strange that they hadn't left her a note, but perhaps they had been in a hurry. 

She stopped in the bedroom long enough to gather clean underwear and a shirt. Placing her locket on top of her dresser, Usagi headed to the bathroom.

Shucking off her old and by now very stale clothes, Usagi leaned over and turned on the shower. Things would seem so much better once she was clean. With an indulgent sigh, she stepped in and began to wash her hair. It had finished its change and was now as silver as moonlight or, Usagi reflected, as silver as the light from the Ginzuishou.

Kashu Hikaru watched patiently as Usagi disrobed and stepped into the shower. He quietly watched her silhouette for a few minutes before walking into her bedroom. Picking up the locket on the dresser, he looked at it. 

The stone set inside it seemed like any other crystal. How did she use the power in it? Or did this stone act as a focus for the power that lived in her? The sound of the water being turned off startled him. 

Usagi wrapped a towel around her dripping body. She stopped to wring out her long, silver hair before using another towel to get most of the water out of it. Humming happily to herself, Usagi slipped the fresh, clean clothes then went back to her room and headed for the dresser. The door closed behind her was a slam and she jumped with surprise.

"Hello, Serenity," said Kashu. She whirled to face the man who held her locket with an evil smile, "I've been waiting for you."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

"No!" shouted Rei as she pushed her way through the crowd that watched her home burn, "Oh Kami-sama, no!"

Black smoke roiled from the ancient buildings. Flames, fueled by all the wood in those buildings, roared like an angry dragon. The sound of sirens, people and panic all mixed together in Rei's ears as she struggled to get through the crowd of gawkers around her. Breaking to the front, she caught a glimpse of a familiar face.

"Yuri!' Rei shrieked his name. "Yuri!"

Incredibly, above all the noise, he heard her. His head snapped around in the direction the voice had some from. They ran at each other, coming together in the shadow of the fire that engulfed their home.

Yuuichirou reeked of smoke and his face was stained with soot. He grabbed Rei, pulling her close with all the strength in his heart.

"Rei-chan! Your grandfather, we were safely out, but he went back after the scrolls! I tried to get inside, but I couldn't," he wept without shame, "I couldn't get to him!"

The relief Rei felt at seeing Yuri vanished as his words sunk in. The sixteenth century scrolls contained special prayers and had been passed down in Rei's family for almost four hundred years. They were the old man's pride and joy. 

"What? No! I have to help him!"

Yuuichirou took her face in his hands and forced Rei to look at him. "He's gone, Rei. Even if Sensei-sama did get to the prayer room, he couldn't have survived that inferno. No one could."

She jerked away from him, her face white with shock. "No, I don't believe that. I won't believe that. Not while I am the Soldier of Fire! Mars eternal power, make up!" 

In a flash she transformed and ran towards the blaze. The crowd saw her transformation and some of them stepped back. There were murmurs, voices were raised in both awe and anger but Mars ignored them all. 

Rei opened herself to inferno that raged around her. She could feel the madness of the firestorm, It was angry, undisciplined and savage. It sought to devour anything that stood in its way. There was no mercy or kindness in its nature, just the unending need to satisfy itself. 

This was something Rei understood all too well. It was the story of her childhood. In the primitive brutality of the firestorm, Rei saw her own life reflected. 

The anger she kept inside her at the way her father had used and abused not only her, but also her mother, erupted hotter than the blaze around her. 

The Senshi of Mars raised her arms above her head and screamed in rage. "You can't have him too, damn you! I won't let you have him, too!" 

The flames shuddered with her words. A lifetime of anger and sorrow fueled the power behind her actions. Rei forced her will on the element she called her own. The fire danced, then slowly parted to open a thin corridor that lead into the heart of the still burning shrine.

She was vaguely aware of Yuuichirou dashing past her and towards the building that her grandfather had disappeared into. Her entire being was focused on keeping the corridor open. 

The firestorm was a part of her now and Mars could feel it raging inside her. It was worth any pain, any suffering if she could save the only man who had ever shown her a father's love. The flames pulled at the core of her soul, inviting her to become part of the symphony of destruction around her. 

Rei screamed in agony. She felt herself burning with a cold, eldritch fire that threatened to consume her. The flames on either side of the open corridor flickered and began to free themselves of her control.

_No_, Rei thought, remembering her Grandfather's teachings, _I am the fire and the fire is life. I am the phoenix that dances in the fire's embrace but lives. _

"Deep Submerge!"

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"

The rush of water swept Mars from her feet. The searing inferno that burned inside Rei faded as she fell to the ground. With the lessening of the pain, her memories returned.

"Did they get out?" she whispered on hands and knees. "Grandpa, Yuri?"

Rei's vision was blurry and her head pounded in protest at the way she'd tried to use her power, but she could hear her Grandfather's voice. "It's all right, little girl, you saved us." His voice was 

raspy from smoke. "And I saved the scrolls!"

Any doubts that Rei had suffered any permanent damage from the misuse of her power vanished abruptly. She reached out and whacked the old man on the head.

"You went back into a burning building for those old pieces of paper? Are you insane?"

Rei's grandfather merely laughed. "Perhaps. Insanity, I am told, is hereditary. You get it from your grandchildren."

"Neptune, aren't you and Jupiter supposed to be with Usagi? Where's Setsuna?" asked Venus from over Rei's shoulder. 

Maktoo smiled, "It's okay. Setsuna is with Lorilei. Usagi was able to go home, where I'm sure Ikuko-mama is even now making her something to eat. Mamoru is on his way to meet her."

"That's good then," agreed Uranus, "The Princess will be quite safe with her family."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Hello Serenity, I've been waiting for you," said Kashu. He held her locket in one hand. "Looking for this?"

"How did you get in here?" Usagi demanded. She was dressed only in her underwear and an open shirt. She yanked the shirt closed, her face flushed with embarrassment. "Get out!"

Kashu merely smiled maddeningly at her. "Now, is that anyway to talk to the man you're going to spend the rest of your life with?"

Usagi wanted desperately to run but knew she couldn't leave the Ginzuishou in Kashu's hands. "I said get out!" she yelled at him hoping to hide the fact that her heart was pounding with fear.

"If I go, I take this locket with me. Oh and you'll never see your family again either," he lied glibly.

Kashu gave a dark laugh at the look of surprise on her face. "That's right, the reason your family isn't home is because they're currently my guests. If you behave yourself you may get to see them again soon."

Kashu walked slowly towards her. Usagi found herself backing away from him almost by instinct. She forced herself to stand and face Kashu, but there was something in his eyes that terrified her. 

"You…you have my family? Are they all right?"

"Of course they're all right, Serenity, quite comfortable as a matter of fact. As long as you do as I tell you, they'll continue to stay that way." 

Kashu traced the crescent moon on her forehead with a single finger, then took a handful of her hair. "I like this, by the way," he said raising it to his lips. "The color suits you, like moonlight."

Usagi forced herself to stay still as he stepped closer. She needed to get her locket. She could save her family if she had the power of the ginzuishou. She needed it to transform. She-had-to-stay-still! 

Usagi closed her eyes and gave a shudder of revulsion when Kashu's hand slid onto her shoulder, then under her shirt and down onto her breast. Try as she might, Usagi couldn't stop the small protest of fear that came from her lips.

"No, please…"

Kashu stepped even closer. He leaned over and brushed her ear with his lips. "Don't be afraid, my sweet Serenity. You'll like this, I promise." 

He pulled her to him and with his free hand took her chin, tilting her head up. In an instant his lips were on hers, forcing them open to thrust his tongue in her mouth. 

Usagi brought her knee up and jammed it into his groin as hard as she could. Her hands grabbed for her locket as he gave a satisfying grunt of pain. Pushing away from Kashu she stumbled towards the door calling out her henshin phrase.

"Moon eternal power …argghh!" The phrase ended in a scream that filled the room. 

Kashu had grabbed the locket as it opened to reveal the ginzuishou. Her newfound bond with the crystal had increased her sensitivity to it a hundred fold. Kashu's hand closed convulsively around it, as if to crush the stone. 

Usagi stiffened like she'd been struck by lightening, unable to move. It felt that a white-hot hand of fire was ripping her heart out of her body. She couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't think past the agony that engulfed her. Her world was filled with nothing but the searing, all consuming pain and the sound of her own voice screaming. 

Kashu tore the locket from her hand and threw it across the room. Usagi collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut. She fell against her nightstand, knocking it over and opening a cut on her forehead.

The world spun round and round in a gray fog for Usagi. She felt something under her hand. It took a moment before she realized it was her star locket. The fall from the nightstand had tossed it to the floor. The open locket played its simple, sweet tune, calling her back to the real world. She tried to close her hand around it but it fell from numb fingers.

"I didn't want to have to do that but it's your own fault," Kashu's voice was in her ears as she tried to clear the fog from her mind, "You shouldn't have made me angry."

By the time the roaring in her ears had stopped and the world no longer ran in dizzying circles he had put his arms around her. Kashu pulled her close in a bizarre attempt to comfort her. Usagi found she could at last move again and try to push away from Kashu.

"Stop that, Serenity. You're making this harder than it has to be." Kashu brought his lips to hers and kissed her hard. He pushed her to the floor, his greater weight pinning her under him. 

Usagi's eyes went wide and she began to struggle. "No! Let me go!"

"Don't fight me, Kashu said annoyance creeping into his voice. "It can be so good between the two of us. I can show you things Chiba never dreamed of."

"Let me go!" Usagi screamed.

Her fear only seemed to further ignite Kashu's passion. "I want you so much." He leaned over her, his lips moved to her neck and his breathing grew ragged, "…and I always get what I want; always. Just relax and enjoy it."

Usagi thrashed wildly, trying to free herself. Fear surged through her. Usagi knew what Kashu wanted and she knew she wasn't strong enough to stop him. "Noooo…!"

It all seemed to happen at once. Kashu's hands were holding her down and he was straddling her while Usagi frantically tried to buck him off. There was the sound of breaking glass and in an instant she was at last freed from Kashu's embrace. 

Usagi scrambled as far away from him as the room would allow. When she looked up she saw what she'd prayed for. Tuxedo Kamen was here. He had Kashu by the shoulders and rammed the man against the wall with such force that it shook from the impact. 

Tuxedo Kamen turned to look for his beloved. Before he could ask her if she was all right, in the instant their eyes made contact, something snapped inside Usagi. Crouched on her knees Usagi began to weep, her body shaking with shock and fear. The star locket was in her hands now. She brought to her breast, cradling it against her heart as she cried. 

"He says he has my family," she said sobbing, "That if I didn't do what he said, I'd never see them again! But I couldn't let him… I, I didn't want him to…"

Mamoru could only stare at Usagi, stunned. His mind slowly took in her appearance. Usagi was only partial dressed. A gash above her eye was bleeding and her face was bruised. Knowledge of what had been about to occur exploded inside Mamoru. He rounded with a snarl on the man he held against the wall.

Kashu looked at Tuxedo Kamen and produced a defiant smile. He looked past Mamoru to where Usagi knelt on the floor. "That's right, Serenity. Without me you'll never see them again. You remember that!" he called out to her.

"You lying bastard!" Mamoru roared in primal fury. "He doesn't have your family, Usako. They're safe, I promise." 

"Wh…what?" Usagi stammered, afraid to believe she had suffered through Kashu's assault, had stayed and fought because of a lie. "No, oh no…"

"Don't' you understand, Serenity?" Kashu shouted at her in a desperate voice, "I'm the only one who can keep you safe now. My family is powerful enough to keep even the government at bay. Do you think you can keep ahead of them for long on your own? Without me you're all…"

Kashu's speech stopped abruptly. 

Tuxedo Kamen had him by the throat and lifted him off the ground with one arm. His air cut off, Kashu's hands clawed at Mamoru's vise-like grip.

Tuxedo Kamen's eyes narrowed. A cold wave of rage spread through his body and he spoke in a dangerous whisper. "I told you what would happen if you ever touched her again." He made a small motion with his other hand and a dagger sharp rose appeared in it. "You are a dead man."

"No!"

Usagi's scream cut through the haze of righteous anger that filled Mamoru's mind. He glanced at her, unable to comprehend how she could not want this man's death.

"No," Usagi repeated, "no Mamo-chan, don't do it."

"This animal doesn't deserve your compassion," Mamoru said. 

Tears ran down Usagi's face, "I don't care about him. I care about you! Killing him will only destroy you. Please, please don't do it."

The look in her eyes, Usagi's fear for him, cut Mamoru to the bone. The rose disappeared. Mamoru released Kashu and he dropped to the floor, gasping for breath.

"You'll regret not killing me when you had the chance." Kashu managed to croak out as he tried to stand. He gave Tuxedo Kamen a look of undisguised hatred. 

"I all ready do," Mamoru's fist flashed out so quickly it seemed little more than a blur. It hit Kashu Hikaru with such force that the man didn't even have time to shout. His eyes glazed over and he fell back to the floor with a thud. 

Tuxedo Kamen faded away as Mamoru turned to rush to Usagi. She stumbled to her feet, reaching for him as he threw his arms around her and pulled her close. Mamoru held her, stroking her hair and whispering words of love as she clung desperately to him. In the safety of her beloved's embrace, Usagi sobbed out her fear and pain. 

At last she raised her head and looked up at him. "We can't stay here, can we?" she asked, though she all ready knew the answer.

Mamoru shook his head gently, "No, we can't."

With Mamoru's help Usagi finished dressing. She managed to put her star locket in a pocket, but when she tried to pin the locket that held the Ginzuishou on the front her blouse, her hands shook too badly. Without a word, Mamoru took it and fastened it securely. He put a hand under her chin and tilted her head up. 

"Ready?" 

With a final look around, she nodded to him. As they left the room, her gaze fell on the still unconscious form of Kashu Hikaru. Mamoru saw a shudder run through her slender frame. He reached out and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Usagi looked up at him with a sad smile. Then, hand in hand, they left Usagi's childhood home.

Next: Chapter Nine - "Future Considerations"


	10. Chapter Nine - "Future Considerations"

Standard Disclaimer – I don't own Sailor Moon or any of the attendant characters to which valid copyright laws apply. This story idea is mine, as well as the original characters created for it. If you'd like to use any of them, please ask first.

"Fatal Exposure"

By Meara

Chapter Nine – "Future Considerations"

The fire was finally out. After Rei had performed what some in the crowd saw as a miracle, those agitating for a riot had become strangely quiet. There was the nagging thought that making someone who could control fire angry was a monumentally bad idea.

All but one of the buildings at the Hikawa Temple had been destroyed. The only structure still standing was the prayer house. It had housed the room that contained the ancient scrolls Rei's grandfather had risked his life to save and, ironically enough, the sacred fire.

Ami watched as Rei sat huddled with her grandfather on one side and Yuuichirou on the other. She'd never thought of Yuuichirou as a hero before, but after watching him run into the fire to save Rei's Grandfather, she was more than ready to reassess her opinion of him. Sometimes the worst of situations brought out the very best in people.

Makoto paced back and forth near the line where the crowd was being kept back. Ami noted that Jupiter was giving off static electricity, which usually meant she was quite agitated. Oddly enough it helped keep the less judicious people in the crowd away. Anyone who got too close would find their hair beginning to stand on end. Those who ignored that warning sign were quite literally going to get a very nasty shock.

"We've got to get going soon," came Mina's voice from behind her. Venus was taking her role as leader of the Inner Senshi seriously. She found out that worrying about others gave her no time to think about her own problems.

"It's not that Jupiter isn't doing a splendid job of crowd control, but we should hit the road before people who aren't as easily intimidated show up."

"I heard that!" shouted Jupiter as she continued to pace like a caged lion.

"Well, I'm just being practical," Venus replied in an even tone. "You know what they say, 'A stitch in time saves mimes'."

Artemis groaned from where he stood at her feet, "No, it's 'nine', Minako. 'A stitch in time saves nine.'"

"Really?" replied a puzzled Venus, "You know I was wondering why anyone would want to save mimes. It's not like they're an endangered species or something. In fact I've always found those snooty, oh-so-superior-method-art types to be a pain."

"But what has that got to do with anything?" Artemis all but shouted.

Ami muffled a giggle at the cat's tone of voice. The communicator on her wrist gave a discreet beep. She stepped to one side to open it. Luna's voice sounded very strained and anxious

"Ami can you hear me?"

"Hai, Luna."

"I need you to find your mother and get her and a medical bag over to Mamoru-san's apartment as soon as you can." The look on the cat's face was hard to read but she was certainly upset about something.

"There's been trouble," Luna said in a measured tone. "Usagi's been…hurt."

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"Well?" asked Mamoru when Dr. Mizuno finished her examination. He stood across the room from where Usagi sat on the edge of the bed. Ami was beside him, a hand on his arm in silent support. She knew that this was almost as hard on Mamoru as it was on Usagi.

"I don't think you have to worry a about concussion. While those bruises are going to be beautiful, the orbital bones aren't fractured. I'd really like to see you get a couple of stitches to close that cut, Usagi but," she said cutting off what the young woman was about to say, "I understand that you can't go to an emergency room to have it done."

"Will a butterfly bandage do?" Mamoru asked.

Dr. Mizuno had started to look for just that in her bag, "It'll have to for now." She pulled one out, and glanced at Ami, who nodded.

"I'll let the others know," she said softly and she excused herself from the room.

Mamoru came to sit beside Usagi. He slipped an arm around her shoulders. He could feel her still trembling. Ami's mother put the bandage in place and Usagi gave a long, slow sigh.

"Why can't I stop shaking?" she finally asked the question that was running circles in her mind. There was so much more Usagi needed to say but the words would not come, not right now.

Dr. Mizuno gave her a small smile very much like the one that Ami used sometimes. "From what Luna said, it could be shock from the interrupted transformation. You were building a lot of power in your body that was never released."

Ami's mother paused and went down on one knee to look eye to eye with Usagi. "But I suspect it's at least partially because were attacked by a man who tried to force himself on you."

Usagi looked at the floor, her voice little more than a whisper, "But he didn't…he didn't…" she stumbled over the words, shame filling her heart and soul.

"He did enough, Usagi." Ami's mother had all too much experience dealing with this. She'd seen so many girls who been through the same type of experience that it broke her heart sometimes.

"Just because Mamoru stopped that man before he forced intercourse doesn't mean it wasn't traumatic. Your reaction is very normal."

There was a soft knock on the door before it opened. "Can we come in?" Ami asked Usagi.

Before Usagi could answer, Ami was almost run over by the crush of bodies that pressed into the small bedroom. Rei was the first to reach Usagi. Although she'd been able to wash up, the smell of smoke still clung to her clothing. Makoto was right behind her, a distraught look on her face. Minako was there also, leaning around the much taller Mako to get a look. They all spoke at once in a nervous babble, voices running over each other.

"I can't leave you alone for a minute…"

"…rip off his arms and then…!"

"…quite a moose under your eye…"

Haruka, still in the doorway, stuck her fingers in her mouth and gave a piercing whistle. Minako, Rei and Mako all stopped talking and looked at the Senshi of Uranus. Haruka raised her hands in a motion of exasperation while a single eyebrow arched in wordless rebuke. The three blushed at each other, than turned back to look at Usagi.

"Hi guys," said Usagi to break the tension when no one else spoke up, "Been a hell a of a day, ne? I'm sorry about the temple Rei-chan. Ami told me what you did with the fire. Are you okay?"

"Just a headache," Rei replied before exploding. "Don't get all selfless on me now! Be angry, cry, wail, scream - anything so I have an excuse to go out, find Kashu Hikaru and flambé his butt!"

Makoto was trembling almost as much as Usagi. Ami put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry Usagi-chan. I never should have left you alone. Oh God, this is all my fault…"

"You couldn't have known, Mako-chan," Usagi replied reaching for her friend's hand. "None of us could have known. And it's not your fault." As shaky as she felt, Usagi knew that she had to be strong for her friends. There would be time later, alone with Mamoru, to deal with the emotions that wanted to take control of her.

"There's only one person at fault here, Makoto," Mamoru said.

"Kashu Hikaru," said Michiru. The Senshi of Neptune spoke the name as if it was a curse.

Haruka stood in the door to the bedroom (and Michiru was at the window, Mamoru noticed, taking up defensive positions) and curtly nodded her agreement. "If this were the Moon Kingdom he'd be put to a slow death for what he tried to do. I, for one, would be there for every moment of it."

"The Moon Kingdom," Usagi sighed slowly. "I've been dreaming about it a lot lately."

Minako smiled, "That's funny, I was dreaming about it last night. I was in my old apartments within the palace. It was so real that I could swear I was there."

Ami looked at Minako now, "I had a dream about the Moon Kingdom, too. I was back in the library. All those books, cases and cases of them stacked from floor to ceilings…" she gave a rapturous sigh.

Mako raised a finger, "You're not going to believe this…"

Mamoru exchanged a glance with Usagi, "You too?" he asked Makoto.

"The gardens within the second gate," replied Mako.

"I dreamed of the sea of Serenity," Michiru put in softly. "I used to stand there and watch earthrise."

"I dreamed of the Sea of Serenity also," Haruka said. Everyone turned to look at her and she gave a sly smile to Michiru, "I used to watch you watching the earth rise."

This can't be a coincidence, Mamoru thought before speaking. "I'd like to have everyone meet in the control room tomorrow morning a little after sunrise. There are decisions to make that can't be put off any longer. Go home if you can," he said with a look to Rei, "but whatever happens, stay out of sight. The way things are going, I think it would be much better if we were difficult to find right now."

Usagi looked around the small and crowded room, "Where's Luna?"

Minako gave a shrug. "She and Artemis said they had something to take care of."

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Kashu Hikaru came slowly back to consciousness. He noticed three things right away. One was that he felt as if his jaw had been broken by Chiba. The second was that there were voices; big, male official sounding voices coming from downstairs.

Lastly, that there were two cats, one black as midnight and the other whiter than snow, in front of him. They sat with perfect feline grace and simply stared at him.

The voices moved into the living room downstairs. Kashu began to sweat. He'd have a great deal of trouble explaining why he was in the house. He stumbled to his feet to head towards the back stairs only to hear voices coming from there, too.

Making an impulsive decision he slipped into a nearby bedroom and rolled under the bed. The cats followed him soundlessly, watching his every move. The bed was just long enough to cover him, but so low to the ground he found himself lying very uncomfortably on his stomach. From under the bed he could see feet walk by the open door to the bedroom.

He breathed a sigh of relief when the police searching the house didn't come in the room. Kashu had no sooner let himself relax than the white cat started to howl in that strangely piercing way only male cats can.

While he silently cursed the cat to all the gods he could think, one of the policemen came into the bedroom.

"What's the matter, kitty?" asked the officer, "Do you want to go out?"

_Yes_, thought Kashu, _please get out!_

The policeman gave Artemis a pat on the head and turned to find the other officers. Luna looked at Artemis then headed towards the bed where Kashu Hikaru hid. She walked gracefully under the edge of the bedspread and found herself face to face with him.

"Go away, cat!" he hissed quietly at Luna.

In a slow and deliberate manner, she rubbed her tail under Kashu's nose as she went by him. His face twitched and contorted in an attempt to keep from sneezing. Unable to use his hands to scratch his nose, he ground his face in the carpet, rubbing it back and forth.

Luna ignored his gyrations and headed to her target. She stopped to look at his khaki covered buttocks, trying to pick the perfect spot. An evil smile lit the lunar cat's face. She hopped onto the back of Kashu's legs. Two steps took her to the spot she was looking for.

Luna was small but her teeth and claws were very, very sharp. She took great pleasure in extending those claws, one by one. In a moment of sweet revenge she sank her teeth in Kashu Hikaru's blue-blooded butt and her claws into the vulnerable spot between his legs. He gave

an immensely satisfying screech that went from baritone to soprano in a heartbeat as he shot out from under the bed.

A few minutes later Luna and Artemis watched from the front stairs of the Tsukino house while Kashu was led off in custody. The way he walked indicated that the memory of Luna's attack would linger, and in more than just his mind, for days to come. When the policeman put him in the back seat of the car Kashu shrieked in pain once more.

Artemis turned to the midnight cat beside him. "Luna, that was vicious and cruel."

"Yes," replied Luna with a wicked purr, "it was wasn't it?"

Artemis wrapped his tail around Luna. "Baby, you're the greatest!"

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The world was a fragmented, chaotic place for Setsuna lately. There was very little that made any sense to her. She dreamed of past and present, of people long gone and those yet to be born.

There were brief flashes of images that only confused her more. She saw a phoenix dancing in the fire and then a huge silver palace that rose out of the ground before her, and most disturbingly of all, Usagi standing before her. The Heir to the Silver Millennium was weeping in manner that broke Setsuna's heart to hear.

Before she could ask what was wrong, her Princess shattered into a million silver stars. The stars were caught by a figure in a tattered robe. There were only faintly gleaming points of light were visible in the shadows where his face should have been. He held the stars tightly in a mottled, skeleton thin hand.

The figure in the robe laughed soundlessly at his prize for only a moment. From behind Setsuna came an explosion of golden light. It slammed into the shadowy figure and caused it to drop the stars. The silver stars and the golden light joined together.

Setsuna watched in awe as the glittering wave came at her. It flowed gently over her and she floated within it. She felt so warm, so safe.

"She's waking up."

Since when did waves talk, Setsuna wondered? She blinked several times, her eyes adjusted to the light in the room. She saw the expected, Lorilei looking down at her.

Setsuna had felt her sister with her, pushing her own energy into her twin, sending her love and support, while Setsuna had lain so very ill. The unexpected, however, was the bright face of Hotaru leaning over her.

"Feeling better Setsuna-mama?" she asked with a wink.

"Hotaru-chan?" she replied, "You healed me? You're supposed to be in Scotland, how did you get here?"

A light of utter worship came to the teen's face as she glanced behind her. "He brought me."

From behind Hotaru came a voice Setsuna knew at once even though she hadn't heard it in fifteen years. "Hello Princess," Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod gave her a warm smile. "Still getting into trouble I see." He helped her to sit slowly up.

"Hello Barbarian," she replied with equal warmth, "And you're still showing up in the middle of it."

"Do you two know each other?" asked Lorilei, completely puzzled.

Setsuna gave her sister a look that spoke volumes. "Duncan and I are old friends."

Lorilei arched one eyebrow in unconscious, but nevertheless flawless, imitation of Setsuna. She burned with a million questions but only said, "Really?"

"Setsuna-mama?" Duncan asked, enjoying the discomfort that flickered across the Senshi of Pluto's face.

She gave him a look that started him laughing, "It's a long story."

"In case you've forgotten, I'm an immortal too. Take your time."

Lorilei stepped in to save her sister. "Unfortunately, there are other, more pressing concerns. Mamoru wants us at the control room a little before dawn tomorrow morning for an important meeting. It might have something to do with this."

She produced a copy of the evening newspaper. A color photo of Minako in the middle of her henshin graced the front page. Next to it was one of her giving her trademarked "V" with her fingers. The headline read, "Aino Minako is Sailor Venus! Meiou Setsuna uncovered as an extra-terrestrial!"

Duncan chuckled when he saw the picture of Sailor Venus. He'd known the golden haired solider of love since her days as Sailor "V" in England. "I see Minako's at it again. Wait a minute Setsuna, they think you're an alien?"

MacLeod's tone changed as the ramifications of that sunk in. "So, they've finally found a way to track us. Damn, does this mean they're going to think all we immortals are aliens?"

Setsuna and Lorilei exchanged a glance. Lorilei sent to her sister. 

Setsuna cleared her throat in a delicate manner. It was going to be a very long night. "Duncan, there are some things I've never told you about myself."

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Kashu Hikaru walked very carefully around the small cell he was being held in. His family's connections had, at least, assured him that he wouldn't be put in the "tank' with the common criminals.

The charges against him, breaking and entering, would be easily taken care of by the over priced lawyers in his family's employ. All he had to do was wait for his bail to be arranged and he would be free.

He had to plan his next move very carefully. If he could find out where Serenity's family truly was, perhaps he could use them to get her back. Or, he mused, one those wretched Senshi might do instead. If he could get Tuxedo Kamen….

His mind began to turn over rapidly. He would kill Chiba then next time he saw him, Kashu vowed to himself. The mask or perhaps a strategic piece of his worthless body would convince Serenity that she had no choice but to come to him.

So wrapped up in his plans was Kashu that he never noticed the man who came to stand by the cell's door until his name was called.

"Kashu-san."

"Yes," he replied brusquely, "Who are you?"

"That isn't important. What is important is that my employer wishes very much to talk to you about a debt you owe us."

The man stood in front of the door to the cell with his hands neatly folded in front of him. Kashu's blood ran suddenly cold as he noticed that the man was missing part of his pinkie finger on his right hand. Recognition of what and whom he represented, the Japanese mob also

known as the "Yakuza," exploded inside Kashu Hikaru like a bomb. He barely noticed what the man said to him.

"My employer requests that you come to see him as soon as you are released from here. He is most distressed by your current situation and would like to discuss your future."

The man in the cheap suit leaned towards Kashu. His eyes were cold and flat Kashu noticed, the eyes of a killer. "Or shall I say your lack of a future unless you contact him immediately."

Kashu Hikaru sat down hard as the man in the suit left and was rewarded by a sharp jolt of pain. He cursed the cat that had bitten him half-heartedly while his mind ran in terrified circles. What was he going to do? He was dead man unless he went to work for the Yakuza. But if he worked for the Yakuza, he'd never have the freedom to get Serenity and fulfill his dreams of power.

"It seems you have a problem."

Kashu's head snapped up that the sound of that voice. It was everywhere and nowhere all at once. A black fog slowly entered the room. Kashu jumped to his feet, ready to yell for help, but found himself unable to move. Frozen, he watched something slowly become visible in the black cloud before him.

The vague figure of a man was covered in a tattered cloak that obscured everything but his hands. Legs crossed, he impossibly hovered a few feet above the floor. The man in the cloak held a glowing crystal ball suspended between mottled hands so thin they might have been all together devoid of flesh.

"I know your heart, Kashu Hikaru. I know what it is you desire." The voice was enticing, yet deadly, like the hissing of a snake about to strike. "You want power…and you want her."

The hands worked the glowing ball around and around. From it came silver light that stopped before the frozen Kashu Hikaru. It danced and pulsed like an image from his dreams. The figure of Serenity slowly appeared. She was on her knees in a glowing white dress, pearls strung in a long, sloping line around her hands and neck. Serenity's eyes were closed, a hand half raised as if in supplication. Kashu was utterly entranced by the vision before him.

"I can give you what you need to achieve your desires." The man in the cloak held out a single, thin, hand to Kashu, "It would be simple thing for me to do. I sense greatness in you, Kashu Hikaru. You deserve to be the ruler of this world and other worlds as well. Take my hand and I will show you how to do it."

"Just what it is I would have to do?" Kashu looked skeptically at the proffered hand. "Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

The thin hand never moved, "You may call me, Wiseman."

After a moment's hesitation, Kashu Hikaru took the hand. As he did, black energy ran from the cloaked figure and into Kashu. He screamed and jerked, trying to free himself from the skeleton-like hand, but it held him in a death grip.

The dark power ran through Kashu's body, finally erupting from his eyes and mouth. It burned in him until he fell, dead, to the floor of the small cell, still smoking from the black fire that had consumed his life.

Wiseman gave a laugh as he began to fade away. "What do you have to do? Why, die of course, so that you may be reborn when I need you. You did well in this life my pawn, my diamond in the rough. You almost destroyed my enemies for me. The path you set them on may work to my advantage. The future may yet be mine."

** oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"We repeat Warrants for the so-called Sailor Senshi have been issued tonight. In a statement release just hours ago, The Prime Minister says that he regrets this action, but in the interest of public safety he has no choice to but put Tsukino Serena, Chiba Mamoru, Meiou Setsuna, Mizuno Ami, Hino Rei, and Aino Minako into protective custody."

The Prime Minister of Japan, a thin, balding man, looked at the reporters around him while he read from the paper he held. Lights flashed as he spoke, "I, in no way, want people to think that we suspect these Sailor Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen of any crimes. But with the mounting public hysteria about them, it is for their safety that we are compelled to take this drastic step."

Mamoru hit the button on the remote control in his hand. The picture changed to another station. The young man smiled incongruously with what he was saying.

"…Aren't the only ones, you know. Many of the western nations have all ready started the screenings. There are more of these aliens out there. It only makes sense to find these people before they become a threat to normal humans."

Disgusted, Mamoru hit the remote again. He flipped through the channels rapidly, stopping when the familiar face Yamamotto Jiro appeared. The man looked older than he had a few days ago, Mamoru thought. There were dark circles under his eyes and his voice had the tone of a man tired down to his bones.

"…And I know that this will be my last broadcast for this station because of my views." He stopped and sighed for a moment. "I was a boy in Nagasaki when they dropped the atomic bomb. My mother, my grandparents and my sisters were all killed. Even though I lost everyone I loved, the thought that the world had learned a terrible lesson gave me some comfort. It allowed me to think that all those people, wiped out in a flash, had not died in vain. It allowed me to have pride in Japan as we showed the world that we could rise above such suffering with grace and honor; to show that we, above all other nations, are the most civilized people on the face of this earth."

Yamamotto seemed to reach out through the television, to be speaking to each viewer individually. "I watched a Shinto Temple more than a hundred years old go up in flames today. I saw people cheer as a piece of our history burned. The fire at the Hikawa Temple could very well be the beginning of the funeral pyre for humanity's honor. My conscience will not permit me to be one who starts that conflagration.I cannot and I will not sit here and mouth the words others wish me to say when I know that they are wrong. Even now, I can see that some men from the Government are here to remove me from in front of this camera. If you remember nothing else I have said remember that evil triumphs when good men do nothing! I am Yamamotto Jiro, long live honor and good…"

Even before Yamamotto finished the last word, the screen went blank. A small sign that read, "technical difficulties" popped up after a moment. Mamoru could well imagine just what kind of "difficulties" they might be having. He clicked the small TV off.

Usagi whimpered in her sleep. After talking for hours about their current situation and what options they had, he'd convinced her to take the sedative Ami's mother had left for her. Mamoru leaned over and stroked her forehead, whispered to her that it was all right, that he was with her. As always she responded to his voice, even in the middle of evil dreams. Usagi sighed and then settled back down.

He knew they'd have to leave his apartment before dawn. They'd been very careful and very lucky so far. But with the issuing of the warrants, the police would come here sooner or later. Mina, Rei, Yuuichirou and her grandfather were in the old central control room under the Crown arcade.

Haruka and Michiru along with Makoto had gone on a mysterious errand. Warrants hadn't been issued for them yet. They could still move about with a measure of safety. Ami and her mother were off getting medical supplies. She'd either guessed what this meeting was going to be about, or come to the same conclusions that he had, Mamoru thought. Of all the Senshi, he should have known that Ami would be a step ahead of him.

The time alone with his beloved had given the Prince of Earth an opportunity to think. Unable to sleep more than a couple of hours or so, he'd spent the time cruising the news channels and thinking about past errors.

When he was Endymion he'd refused to see what was happening even as it had unfolded before him. There had been plenty of warning, but the Crown Prince of Earth couldn't or wouldn't see just how serious things had become until it was too late. Beryl had used fear and envy to turn rational people into unthinking animals. If only he had stepped in before that witch was able to gather her misguided followers into an army, the slaughter that ended the Silver Millennium might have been avoided.

A thousand years may have passed, Mamoru reflected, but playing on the basest emotions man was capable of still seemed to work. Well, even if it appeared that humanity wasn't able to learn from its mistakes, he was. The Crown Prince of Earth may have waited too long to act, but Chiba Mamoru wouldn't make that mistake.

Tomorrow would bring the end of their old lives, but hopefully it would also be the beginning of their new ones.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Next - Chapter 10, "Promise of Love".


	11. Chapter Ten - "Promises of Love"

Before someone asks let me explain a few of the references in this chapter. "SJ" means "Society of Jesus", or in other words, a Jesuit – an order of Roman Catholic Priests. St. Jude is the patron saint of impossible causes. "KPH" means kilometers per hour.

"Speed Racer" was one of the first anime to come to the US back in the early 1970's. What can you say bout a family that dresses their youngest son and their pet chimpanzee exactly alike? And yes, Racer X is secretly Speed's older brother Rex!

Standard disclaimer and poetic interlude:

Sailor Moon and her friends I don't own.

But all lawyers please leave me alone.

Don't take me to court,

cause my cash flow is short

and you just can't get blood from a stone.

"Fatal Exposure"

By Meara

Chapter Ten – "Promise of Love"

Makoto came at Haruka with the blade like a woman possessed. There was no grace or thought behind the attack, just an explosive anger that fueled her moves. As undisciplined as she was, Makoto managed to make her opponent take a few steps back from the raw, savage fury of her attack. Haruka let Makoto take what, under any other circumstances, would have been a lunge that left her open for a fatal blow before knocking the blade from her hands with a deft parry.

The wooden kendo practice blade skittered across the room. Kino Makoto watched it slide to the other end of the room then turned and walked back to the mirrors that lined one wall of the small dojo. She bowed her head and shook it back and forth slowly.

"I know, I know, that was stupid," Mako said between deep breaths. "But I really needed to do it."

Haruka came up behind her and placed a hand on the younger woman's shoulder. "I've been teaching the art of the blade for more a year now and you throw it all away to act like a common brawler. For shame, Mako-chan, haven't you learned anything?"

A wicked light came to Makoto's eyes as she reached up and took Haruka's arm. A shift of her weight and she sent Haruka flying. TheSenshi of Uranus regained her balance in the air with a flip. She landed in a crouching position, ready for more.

"Oh, I remember a few of the things you taught me, Sensei Haruka-san," Mako laughed.

Haruka lunged for Makoto and they tumbled to floor. In an instant both were back on their feet. Haruka let a series of lighting fast blows loose, but Mako dodged each and every one. Next it was Makoto's turn to try a sweep, then a bear-paw thrust that most people couldn't defend against. With a poetic flurry of arms and legs they danced the intricate movements in a ballet of war.

Michiru came back into the dojo in time to see the two trying in vain to land a blow. She smiled as she put down the packages she carried. The expression on Haruka's face was one of genuine enjoyment. Haruka had found a kindred spirit in Makoto, someone who faced life with the

same, indomitable, fighting spirit as the Soldier of the Sky. Haruka, in turn, delighted in teaching Makoto what she could. From the look of things, Michiru decided, it wouldn't be much longer before the student overtook the teacher.

"Much better!" called Haruka, "That's it, focus!"

Michiru stepped on the practice floor. "I can't leave you two alone for a minute and you're at it again."

The two women stopped and bowed gravely to each other, than to Michiru.

"We needed to burn off a little nervous energy," Makoto smiled. "I almost had you for a moment, Haruka-Sensei."

Haruka was panting, slightly out of breath. Makoto was better than she knew. "Almost but not quite. If you ever learn to keep the clarity of focus you just showed me a moment ago, then I'll have something to worry about."

"I hate to break this up when you two are having so much fun, but there's less than an hour until sunrise," Michiru said softly. "We need to get going."

Giving a grunt of agreement, Haruka nodded. "I know. Mako-chan, would you kindly transfer about half of the groceries into your car? I need to collect a few things from here before we leave."

As Mako headed out the door, the sandy haired Senshi of Uranus moved to take several weapons off the wall. She paused as she held an antique katana in her hand. "Do you think she suspects what Mamoru's going to say at this meeting?"

"If she does," Michiru replied, "Makoto's learned enough from you to not let it show. Maybe we should tell her, Haruka."

Haruka shook her head. She knelt to pack the blades into soft clothes. "No, Mako-chan's all readt upset enough about what happened to the Princess without our adding to her troubles. If we're right, then these are the last free hours we're going to have for a very long time. Let her enjoy them."

"What happened to Usagi," Michiru placed a gentle on her lover's shoulder. "It brings back bad memories for you, ne?"

The last blade was a short one in an ebony scabbard. Haruka removed it from the sheath and considered the way the light played across the surface. "It was a long time ago. They only hurt my body. They never touched my soul." She moved to put the dagger in with the katana.

Michiru placed her palm on Haruka's cheek. Her lifemate took it silently. As Haruka looked up into the Michiru's eyes she drew strength from the love she saw there. Whatever had happened in the past, whatever would happen in the future, they had each other. It was more than enough.

"You about ready to go?" came Mako's voice from the doorway.

"Coming," said Haruka as she gathered the weapons in her arms. She paused to look around the small dojo to make sure she had everything. The Kendo Master who owned this school had let her keep some of her prized sword collection there. She hated to take it back without being able to tell him but there was no other choice.

"We should just make it back before dawn," the tall, lithe brunette said more to herself than to the others.

The two cars each had half of the supplies Michiru had bought in each trunk. Ironically enough, the ones with the least of amount family entanglements had yet to outed as Sailor Senshi. Still, they weren't going to take any chances and the two cars would take different routes back to Tokyo, just in case.

"Michiru, are you sure you don't want to ride with me instead of Speed Racer and the Mach Five?" Makoto asked with a sly smile.

Michiru gave a light laugh, "That's all right. Someone has to keep an eye on Haruka."

The Senshi of Uranus leapt over the door and into the driver's seat. "Hey, I'm one of the best drivers I know."

Michiru settled gracefully into the passenger's seat. "You're also someone who considers posted speed limits 'suggestions' instead of laws."

Haruka gave her a hawkish smile as she pulled out away from the dojo. "For you, I'll be on my best behavior today, twenty kph over the limit, max, I promise."

The Senshi of Neptune gave a laugh as fresh as an ocean breeze. Some things about Haruka would never change. And that was the way she liked it.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Usagi fumbled with the hat Mamoru had given her. It was much too large for her and she took it off again to adjust the plastic strip in back. She tried to shove her hair into the now marginally smaller hat once again. Usagi looked in the mirror. The hat was bright red with a huge "Red Sox" embroidered on it in white.

"Why do you like this baseball team anyway, Mamo-chan? They're really awful. Shingo says that they're cursed or something."

Mamoru was carefully folding an old hand towel around a photograph as he answered. "Hey, the Sox's aren't all that bad! They won the World Series in 2007."

"Yeah, for only the second time in over 80 years," Usagi continued to fidget with the hat. "Why did you stay with them for so long?"

Mamoru just shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe I'm just a sucker for hopeless causes."

Usagi looked in the mirror at her bruised face. _Take our current situation for example_, she mused.

Strong arms wrapped around Usagi's shoulders. "Having second thoughts?"

"It feels like we're running away, Mamo-chan," she said, leaning into his arms. "Leaving here is a lot to ask of our friends."

"Don't think of it as leaving, Usako," said Mamoru as he rested his chin on top of her silver gilt hair. "Think of it as going home."

"Home," Usagi gave a short laugh. "If I can figure out just how to access that part of the Silver Millennium that's inside the Ginzuishou, this is. If not…"

Mamoru turned her around so that they faced each other. "What ever happens we'll face it the same way we've faced everything, together."

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"I can't believe you want to do this," Rei hissed at her Grandfather. She peered carefully around the corner of the building they hid behind as she spoke, "This is the one place where everyone is going to be looking for us!"

"Correction, Granddaughter," he said in a calm tone that he knew drove Rei nuts, "Everyone is looking for you. I'm just a sweet old man. Do you really think the authorities are going to risk the sight of the police dragging my frail old bones off to Kami knows where? The media would eat them alive."

Yuuichirou stood beside Rei. "Rei has a point, Sensei-sama. Why take any chances? Let me go and get the box."

"It's my box," the old man grumbled unreasonably, "and it's very important to me. I have no intentions of leaving it behind. I'm not completely in my dotage yet, Rei. I can still do a few things without help. Now, watch and learn."

That said he stepped out from around the corner and walked with a measured pace towards what was left of the Hikawa Shrine. There was a single police officer keeping the small press contingent out of the burned areas.

The blue robed old man walked right past them and ducked under the yellow tape with the words "keep out" emblazoned on it. He ignored the people who called out questions to him. He ignored the flash bulbs and the sound of video cameras whirring to life. He could not, however, ignore the shouts of the police officer.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?!" The officer, a young man who looked only a little older than Rei, trotted up to elderly priest when he didn't stop. He pointed to the yellow tape, "Can't you read?"

Okibi Souji stopped and slowly turned to face the policeman. He gave him a look of utter disapproval as he pointed to the sign with the large Kanji letters on it. "Can't you read sonny? This is my shrine and I don't remember asking for a police presence."

He gave the surprised officer a dismissive wave of his hand. "But as long as you're here, you can keep those pesky reporters away while I collect a personal item. Think you can handle that? Now shoo."

The young man sputtered a moment in confusion. He'd been expecting to have a confrontation with Sailor Mars, one that would get him a speedy promotion and time on the evening news (and girls, he thought, girls love heroes!). Instead he was faced with an elderly man who reminded him of a Buddha statute.

The old man walked inside the only building left standing then reappeared a moment latter carrying a small, hand carved, wooden box. He tucked it up under his arm and smiled at the policeman on his way out.

"Good job, kid. Keep this up and you'll make captain in no time."

Grabbing the old arm by the arm, the officer sputtered at him, "You can't take that box. It might be evidence!"

The photographers started snapping pictures as the old man mugged shamelessly for the camera. In the wash of strobe lights the policeman looked suspiciously like a deer in the headlights. Okibi Souji turned to the bank of cameras and called out.

"You'd deny an old man his last possession on earth?" he called out in a loud voice that seemed to waver with the weight of his years. "Let me alone! I'm just an old man. Have you no shame at all?"

The young officer couldn't let go of the old man's arm fast enough. He pulled at the collar of his uniform once before moving towards the press. He waved his arms to shoo them away and shook his head in what he hoped looked like an official manner. By the time he finished the elderly Shinto priest was gone. How had that old man moved so fast, the young policeman wondered?

"Alright what is so bloody important that you that you took a risk like that to get?" Rei asked. Yuuichirou was driving and she sat in the cramped backseat with her Grandfather.

Souji didn't answer at once. He placed the box on his lap and gently opened the lid. On top was a faded picture of a couple in kimonos. He took it out and handed it to Rei. Just below it was another picture. An elegant woman with silver hair held a baby in her arms. The smile on her face was brighter than the sun.

"Oh," Rei whispered, "This is Grandmother."

"These pictures and what's in this box are all I have left of her. That one," he nodded to the first picture, "was taken on our wedding day. This other one, when you were about a month old."

He reached into the box and pulled out a lock of raven hair that had a small silk ribbon tied around it. "This is your mother's hair. I have some of yours in here also. My life is in this box. I couldn't leave it behind."

"You make it sound like you're never going back again, Grandpa," said Rei in a tone that almost begged him to tell her that she was wrong. "The Shrine is your home. You've watched over the sacred fire for more than fifty years."

The old man reached over and patted her hands in a comforting manner. "No, little girl, my home is wherever you are. When all this is over, maybe then we can back there. Don't worry about the sacred fire," he leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You carry it in your heart. When the time is right, you'll release it for the world to see again."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

St. Jude's church was small and the last building on the block in this area of Tokyo. Usagi looked up at it, the large, round stained glass window catching the rays of the rising sun. Mamoru gave her hand a gentle squeeze and led her towards the door. Usagi followed him, still not sure of just what he had in mind.

They moved through the small vestibule and into a pew at the back of the church. Mamoru sat down beside her, still holding her hand.

"We may not have much of a chance once we're…and you know I love you…I mean…oh damn, I'm doing this all wrong," Mamoru stumbled over the words. He sighed and went down on one knee before her. "Marry me, Usako, here and now."

"What?"

He took both of her hands in his and looked into her eyes. "I love you. Do me the honor of becoming my wife this day."

He was serious, she realized with surprise. "Now? Dressed like this?" She paused to reconsider her words when Mamoru laughed. "Mamo-chan, are you sure this is what you want?"

"I could have lost you yesterday. When I saw you struggling in that man's arms it was my worst nightmare come true. We should have done this a long time ago, but I'm going to make it right today." A boyish twinkle came into his midnight blue eyes, "You aren't going to make me beg are you, Usako? Because I will if that's what it takes."

"Yes, I'll marry you," Usagi replied with a breathless whisper. Mamoru raised her hands to his lips and kissed them. Usagi looked into his eyes, "It would be my greatest joy to become your wife."

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"Later" finally came for Minako as she sat with Artemis in the control room. Everyone else was off doing something important and she had nowhere else to go. The loneliness, the sense of total abandonment, came crashing down on her slender shoulders and it was more than Minako could bear. While she wept, Artemis crawled into her lap. She hugged him tightly, lost in misery.

"Minako?"

The Princess of Venus raised her head and tried to shut off the tears. "Oh, hi Mako-chan. What are you doing back here so soon?"

"Why are you crying?" The look of distress, of genuine concern on Makoto's face broke Mina's fragile hold on her emotions.

"They don't love me," she said as she began to cry again. "They never loved me and I tried so hard to make them." Mako rushed forward and to comfort her friend as she listened to the account of Minako's last trip home.

"I don't have a home anymore, Mako-chan. I don't have a family," she whispered.

"Neither do I, Minako-chan," Makoto replied with a shake of her head. "You know what? I'm really tired of being alone. I'll make a deal with you. I'll be your family, if you'll be mine." She stuck out her hand at the astonished Minako, "Deal?"

Minako looked at the hand, then up at Makoto. She gave a watery chuckle as she took the hand and pumped it vigorously, "Deal! Now that we're family, does this mean I get to barrow some your clothes?"

"Why not?" the tall brunette replied dryly. "Not being family ever stopped you before. But now you have to wash the shirts before you return them to me."

"I did wash the last blouse I borrowed from you," said Minako.

"In hot water," replied Makoto with a long suffering sigh. "My one red shirt is now pink and three sizes too small for me."

Artemis laughing caught both their attentions. They turned to look at the white feline in surprise.

"You know," he said still laughing, "You two sound like sisters all ready."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Father Francis Xavier Sullivan, SJ, looked at the two young people before him in complete astonishment. He'd been coming in to work on the antiquated gas heater in the sanctuary (and grumbling about the expense of a good plumber yet again) when they approached him with a request so unbelievable he found himself repeating it.

"You want me to what?" he said.

"Marry us," replied Mamoru. "A friend of mine, Furuhata Motoki is a member of this parish. He speaks very highly of you. He says that you're a man who can trusted."

Father Sullivan ran a hand through what was left of his graying hair. "Trusted with what?"

Mamoru and Usagi exchanged a glance. Usagi reached up and took off the baseball cap. Her glorious silver hair spilled out, falling around her like a silken veil. Father Sullivan's gaze was drawn to the crescent moon on her forehead. Who she was suddenly burst into his mind like a flash of lighting.

"Mother of mercy…" he whispered.

Mamoru continued as the priest collected himself. "We have to go away, Father, and we want to be married before we do."

"I don't suppose you have a marriage license?" Father Sullivan asked. "No," replied Usagi evenly, "We haven't exactly been in a position to pop down to town hall and get one."

"But you're both Catholic, right?"

Both Mamoru and Usagi looked nervous as they stammered a negative reply between the two of them.

"One of you? Are you at least Christians? Of legal age?" Father Sullivan fished for some way he could help these two.

"Ooh, ooh!" Usagi let out in an excited manner, "I'm a Christian and I turned twenty last June!"

Francis Sullivan sighed as he looked at the two. That they were in love was obvious. That he was in a position to marry them was less obvious. In for a penny in for a pound, he decided. Francis, boyo, he thought to himself, you're coming up in the world. You are about to marry royalty!

"Well," he finally said, "I'm a Jesuit and an Irish Jesuit at that. We've never been known for taking the easy path. Give me a few minutes to prepare and I'll be happy to bless your marriage before God."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Yoshi hadn't been sure it was them when he saw them go into the gajin church. He'd waited quietly in the back. His patience was rewarded when the woman took off the hat. It was her, Tsukino Usagi! The crescent moon on her brow was a dead give-a-way, but why was her hair silver? Maybe she'd dyed it to avoid attracting attention.

He really didn't care, Yoshi knew as he went for his cell phone. His first call was to the TV studio. His second was to the police. His last call was to an old friend. "Get our people together. We're about to show the world how to take care of those aliens."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

In a small chapel normally used for baptisms in the back of St. Jude's church in Tokyo, the future King and Queen of earth stood hand in hand and watched Father Sullivan finish setting up. Usagi gave a sigh as she looked at herself.

Usako?" Mamoru quietly asked, "What's wrong?"

"Somehow I never saw myself getting married to you in jeans and sneakers. I always pictured myself in a white gown with our friends around us," she replied honestly. "But it doesn't matter, I'm just happy that we're doing this."

She couldn't quite read the expression that flickered across Mamoru's face. He stepped away from her, a sly smile coming to his lips. His hand gave a small twist and a rose appeared in it.

"Then why don't I change into something more appropriate for the occasion?"

The air around him shimmered like a wave crashing on the shore. In that magical wake, Tuxedo Kamen replaced Chiba Mamoru. Removing his hat and mask, he tossed them onto a nearby chair. With a smile he reached out an elegant hand to Usagi.

She stepped up to take his hand, and as she did so, she too blurred and changed. The glowing white gown of Serenity, last princess of the Silver Millennium, adorned her body. Mamoru raised her hand to his lips and placed a tender kiss on her palm.

"My princess," he whispered.

"My prince," she replied

"My Lord!"

They both turned to see a very astonished Father Sullivan. His face was almost as white as the vestments he wore. If the priest had harbored any doubts that the two people in front of him were truly Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen those concerns vanished in a flash of magic. He gave a small cough to get himself breathing again.

"Shall we begin?" Father Sullivan waited until the two young lovers stood in front of him before he spoke again. "It was at a wedding that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, chose to enter into his public life by the miracle of water into wine. Marriage is a holy estate, not to be entered into lightly, or irreverently, but soberly and with true commitment. The bonds forged here are meant to last a lifetime."

The priest motioned to Mamoru who turned to face Usagi. "Do you, Mamoru, take this woman to be your wife? Do you promise to love her, honor and cherish her? Forsaking all others, will keep yourself only for her until death?"

Mamoru held both of Usagi's hands in his own. He looked deeply into her eyes and lost himself in the love he saw there. How had he ever managed to find such a treasure, he wondered as he replied, "Till death and beyond, I do."

"Do you, Usagi, take this man to be your husband? Do you promise to love him, honor and cherish him? Forsaking all others, will you keep yourself only for him until death?"

His eyes, Usagi thought, those endless midnight blue eyes cut through to her soul. The devotion she saw in them was unshakable and steadfast, as was her love for him. "Till death and beyond, I do."

The priest raised his hands above their heads, "Father, all powerful and ever living God, bless and sanctify these two who come before you seeking your blessing." He made the sign of the cross over them as he intoned, "By the power vested in me by the Diocese of Tokyo, I proclaim that they are man and wife in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. What God hath joined together, let no man put a sunder."

Father Sullivan lowered his hands and winked at Mamoru, "Son, you may kiss your bride."

Mamoru didn't need to be told twice, and neither did Usagi.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Furuhata Motoki had always been a real "straight arrow". Even in college he'd managed to keep that reputation. He didn't smoke, drink (at least not to excess, he decided) or do drugs. He was polite, well groomed and just the sort of young man every parent hoped their daughter would become involved with. The thought of him doing anything less than totally legal and upright was all but unthinkable to anyone who knew him.

Which is why what he was doing now was so surprising, even to him. He finished wrapping the last of the sandwiches and put them in the box. That box was going downstairs to a secret underground control room that held some of the most wanted persons on the planet. Furuhata Motoki was a man living on the edge, just like he'd dreamed of for years.

He found that it was not as easy as he'd imagined it to be.

All those heroic daydreams never included the excess of adrenaline that coursed continuously through his body, making him jump at every little sound. He wasn't sleeping well, couldn't eat very much because of the fear that lived in his guts and had cut himself in several places as he shaved this morning.

But despite the wear and tear on his nerves, Motoki decided that he'd do it all again if given a choice. He'd found, much to his delight, that he was the man of honor he'd always hoped to be. Heroes, it seemed, didn't always wear a cape and a mask.

Something caught his eye as he turned to get the thermos of coffee behind him. Reaching over, he turned up the small television on the counter beside him. What he saw made his heart stop. The newsman's face looked grim.

"…Tentatively identified as Tsukino Usagi and Chiba Mamoru. The whereabouts of the rest of the fugitive Sailor Senshi is unknown right now. There are at least two dozen heavily armed soldiers now surrounding St. Jude's church. The crowd is building, also, and they seem upset. I think this is another appearance of the "Pure Earth" group, who took responsibility for the shootings outside our broadcast headquarters."

The box of food forgotten, Motoki raced for the entrance that would take him to the control room. He knew St. Jude's church, and he knew it would take close to twenty minutes to get there from here. He prayed that they could get to Usagi and Mamoru in time to help them.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Next – The story comes to a pulse pounding conclusion in chapter eleven, "Fatal Exposure".


	12. Chapter Eleven - "Fatal Exposure"

Author's notes are at the end of the epilogue. I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment to read them.

Standard Disclaimer – Sailor Moon and the attendant characters to which valid copyright laws apply are owned by any number of monolithic, multi-national corporations who eat people like me as a light snack. This story idea and the characters created for it are mine, however. So if you'd like to use any of them, please ask first. Remember what your mother told you about it not being nice to steal another's toys.

Fatal Exposure

By Meara

Chapter Eleven – "Fatal Exposure"

Yoshi surveyed the growing crowd with a sense of fierce, marital joy. They were going to show the rest of the world how to deal with the threat that these aliens posed by their very existence. He didn't believe for a minute the happy little story of goodness and self-sacrifice that Tsukino Usagi had told the world.

Yoshi had seen with his own eyes the kind of power she and her band of warriors had at their disposal. No one used that kind of power only to defend. He knew that it was only a matter of time before these aliens moved to subjugate all of humanity.

Yoshi all ready knew what others had not yet come to realize. This was war; a war that could have only one outcome. In order for mankind to survive, Tsukino Usagi and the other aliens had to die.

This was the seminal moment of Yoshi's life. He was a man who had been raised on the stories of his noble ancestors. From the time he was a small child, his father had instilled in him a sense of pride in his heritage and a sense that he was different, better than those around him.

His family was both samurai and daimyo. Until the barbarians from the west had come and "opened" Japan to the rest of the world at gunpoint, his family had been very important. They had lost their power and lands over the long years of the 20th century. Yoshi was going to change all that.

He was going to restore Japan (and not so coincidentally his family) to greatness. He would be the great leader to emerge in this time of crisis. His example would force people to realize that they needed to be guided by the superior wisdom inherent in the old and noble families. His most cherished dream was about to come true. All he needed do was have the fortitude to see this thing through to the end.

After today, nothing would ever be the same again.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Father Sullivan watched the newly married couple kiss with a smile. In his many years as a priest, he'd married dozens of people. He liked to say that there was a special glow to newly married couples. But as Father Sullivan looked closer, he found that Usagi and Mamoru were really, truly, glowing. Silver and golden light came from their joined hands. It pulsed, flowing about them like a living river.

"Incredible," he said before he could stop himself. "How do you do that?"

Blushing, Usagi brought a hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle. Mamoru blushed too, having forgotten for a moment they weren't alone. He cleared his throat and gave the priest his most engaging smile.

"Magic," he answered with a wink. "I think we'd better be going now."

Standing on tiptoe, the new Mrs. Chiba gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "We'll never forget you, Father. Thank you for helping us."

"You are most welcome, my dear." Father Sullivan's thick Irish brogue made his Japanese hard to understand for Usagi. "Away with you, now."

A younger priest dressed in the traditional black cassock came running in from a side entrance. "Father Sullivan, there are soldiers, armed soldiers outside! They demand we let them in to the church to search for…"

His voice trailed off as he got a good look at Usagi and Mamoru. The couple still glowed faintly, she in her white dress and he in the black tuxedo.

"Not while I am pastor of this parish they won't!" Father Sullivan turned to the newlyweds, his face set and determined, "Stay here in the chapel and don't come outside. You'll be safe as long as you stay inside the church."

"Sanctuary?" asked Mamoru. "Do you really think that those outside will respect that?" The tone of voice intimated that he found that prospect unlikely.

Usagi reached out to touch the older man's arm, "What are you going to do? You can't go out there alone."

The old priest smiled sadly, patting Usagi's arm gently, "Child, I have served my Lord for almost fifty years now. If nothing else, I've learned that I'm never alone because He walks before me. Now stay here and let me see what I can do to stop this madness."

Usagi was about to protest again but Mamoru gave her hand a squeeze. She looked at him and he shook his head.

"Let him go, Usako." Mamoru knew that the best the old priest could do was buy them a few minutes to formulate some kind of plan. "Father Sullivan, thank you for trying to help."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The Senshi ran with reckless abandon across the city the called home. They had split into two groups before leaving the control room. This way, if one was stopped, the other should be able to get to Usagi andMamoru (hopefully) in time to help them.

The eight warriors who comprised the Inner and Outer Senshi hadn't always seen eye to eye. There had been friction between the two groups over the years, but the one thing that invariably drew them back together was their devotion to their Princess and Prince.

The So ldiers of the inner planets followed Minako as they dashed towards St. Jude's church. The Outer Senshi followed Hotaru. They each approached from a different direction, both geographically and psychologically.

The Inners would try to distract, to give Usagi and Mamoru a chance to slip away before anyone was hurt. The Senshi of the Inner Planets knew Usagi too well. She always saw the goodness in people, always believed in it with all her heart. The Tsukino Usagi they knew would not want to be saved at the cost of other lives.

The Outers were, by nature and circumstance, much more pragmatic. They planned to get their Prince and Princess back no matter what it took. If people of evil intent got in their way, then they would be dealt with. It was, to them, a matter of simple justice. The only ones hurt would be those who brought it on themselves.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Major Kaigan looked at the scene around him and cursed softly. He'd brought about two dozen, well trained, well armed men with him. He was a professional soldier, trained to carry out his duty as laid out to him by his superior officers. He was also a man schooled in the ancient Japanese code of military honor, bushido.

The conflict between the two had caused to indirectly disobey an order all ready. He'd let Chiba Mamoru and his associates take Meiou Setsuna from the hospital. The General in charge had just about reamed him a new one after they got away, but Kaigan had been secretly relieved. This was wrong, his heart told him. In taking innocent people into "protective custody" he was betraying the code of honor he'd lived his life by.

The crowd of protestors milled about restlessly just outside the barricades that had been set up. They forced the Major to concentrate on the demands of the moment and put his ethical concerns aside.

There were at least three hundred people, maybe more. If he didn't move to take control of the situation now, a riot was about to ensue. He reached into the jeep beside him and took the microphone in hand. A flip of a switch gave him enough volume and power to be heard by even those in the back of the mob.

"This is an illegal demonstration! By order of the Prime Minister, you are to leave this area at once. Failure to comply will result in arrest! Leave now!"

"No!" shouted the leader of the mob through a bullhorn. "Not until we have that alien bitch and her traitorous human lover! We demand they be brought out of the foreign church now."

Major Kaigan knew that he had to make some kind of move or the crowd would go berserk. He motioned to one of his men, who loaded a rifle with a canister of tear gas. A nod told the man to fire when he was ready.

The door to the church opened and an elderly priest in a black cassock rushed down the stairs. He saw the soldier with the rifle aim at one of the stained glass windows. With a speed that gave lie to his years, Father Sullivan lunged for the man and managed to deflect the shot at the last moment.

It careened off course and smashed through one of the windows in the vestibule. Smoke lazily drifted out towards the crowd, evidence that the charge has gone off.

Two soldiers grabbed for the priest, but the Major waved them back. He could see the media, cameras running, broadcasting all of this. The last thing Japan needed was for the world to see an old man pushed around by the army!

"What are you doing, Father?" asked the Major.

Father Sullivan faced the officer, righteous indignation on his weathered face. "Me? What in the name of heaven do you think you're doing? This is a church, not a battlefield and I am not about to let it become one."

Major Kaigan felt more and more disgusted with this whole affair the longer it dragged on. "You are harboring two people in your church for whom I have valid arrest warrants. You must turn them over to me immediately."

The elderly priest crossed his arms over his chest, "Not bloody likely, son. They are currently under the seal of sanctuary and that means under the protection of the Roman Catholic Church. Unless you want to risk an international incident with the Vatican, I suggest you withdraw from here."

The Major was at his wits end. "Don't you understand what's going on here? If you don't let me take Chiba Mamoru and Tsukino Usagi into protective custody that mob will kill them."

"I understand all too well what's going on here." Father Sullivan turned his back on the Major and marched to the front stairs of St. Jude's church. This was the seminal moment of his life. His heart pounded in fear.

A passage from scripture echoed in his mind. _No greater love hath a man, than that he should lay down his life for his brother._

Father Francis Sullivan turned to face the soldiers, the mob and the assembled media. "This church is holy ground," he called out in as loud a voice as he could manage. "I will not allow God's house to be violated. You get in here only by going through me."

No one could say exactly where it came from. They only heard the sharp report of a gun and saw the old priest fall. Major Kaigan was closest to Father Sullivan and ran for him.

"Then we'll go through you, gajin!" a voice from the crowd called out, "Where is your God now?"

The life was fading from the priest's eyes as Major Kaigan got to him. He knelt down beside the dying man and the priest grabbed him by the arm.

"…in the church…save them." His hand fell away and with a sigh of, "Oh my Jesus, mercy," Father Francis Sullivan passed from this life.

Major Kaigan had seen his share of death but this shocked him in a way he hadn't thought possible anymore. He rose to try and take charge of a situation that rapidly spiraling out of control. The Major didn't notice the smoke starting to pour out from under the front door of the church.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The canister of tear gas had careened through a window in the vestibule of the church. It landed near a pile of old paper bulletins leftover from the previous Sunday. The canister released its contents with a slow hiss.

The heat engendered by this release caused the papers nearest it to smoke, then slowly start to burn. The flames devoured the sheets of printed paper then moved onto the vestments that hung on a nearby rack. Within minutes the room was ablaze.

The old and well oiled wood that made up the flooring and the pews fed the fire. By the time it burst into the main body of St. Jude's there was no way to stop it.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

For a long moment after Father Sullivan left Mamoru and Usagi held each other silently. Without being told, they both knew that the storm that had been brewing since their public identities had been revealed was about to erupt violently.

Usagi also knew that whatever happened, a power as great as that of the ginzuishou could not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. If necessary, she would seal it inside herself before… the end. That thought made her shiver.

Mamoru sensed the turmoil in Usagi's heart and placed his chin on her head. "Father Sullivan's a good man, but up against impossible odds. We're going to have to make a run for it."

Usagi sighed and looked at the white dress still adorning her body. "I supposed that means I should change out of my wedding gown and into my going away outfit, ne?"

Mamoru could see the fear hidden beneath the humor. He took his new wife's hand and turning the palm up, placed a tender kiss on her wrist.

"Yes, but take your time Usako," he waggled his eyebrows at her in a lecherous fashion. "I do so love to see you without any clothes on!"

"Mamo-chan!" she laughed. "You are shameless!"

Running his hand slowly up her arm, Mamoru pulled Usagi into a dip and leaned over her, "Wait until tonight and I'll show you just how shameless I can be, wife."

She looked into his endless midnight blue eyes as he placed her back on her feet, "I'll hold you to that, husband."

Usagi put a hand on her locket and called out her henshin phrase. The light came, filling her with power. It transfigured her with an intensity she had not experienced before. For an instant there was a siren call in her mind that Usagi found hard to resist. The fear and pain of the last few days caught up with her.

The memories of the bliss she'd felt when she achieved balance with the ginzuishou overwhelmed her. For a fraction of a second Usagi wanted nothing more than to feel that way again. It would be so easy to do.

"Usako?" Mamoru looked at Usagi with concern. Her fuku was silver, like the light from the Ginzuishou now, no longer holding any other color. Her henshin was complete but Usagi still stood with her eyes closed. "Usako?" he called again, louder this time.

His voice reached her and Usagi opened her eyes. Mamoru looked at her with concern, "Are you all right? What happened?"

"Nothing, I'm okay," she lied to him.

Mamoru knew she wasn't telling him the truth, but let it go. Together they headed out the door and down the small windowless hall towards the main body of the church. The air held the smell of smoke that only got stronger as they went. Usagi and Mamoru exchanged a worried glance.

When they reached the final door, Usagi grabbed for Tuxedo Kamen's arm to stop him from opening it.

"Look…" Dark gray smoke was pouring in from the crack at the bottom of the door. Even as they watched, the gray smoke became black, heavy and oily.

Tuxedo Kamen touched the wooden panels and found them hot. Cursing softly, he motioned for Usagi to get well back. Raising his cape to cover his most of his face, he cracked the door open ever so slightly.

More than half the church was ablaze. Fire had run up the walls and was consuming the ceiling even as it ate into the floors. Mamoru slammed the door shut and turned to look back at Usagi.

"I don't suppose there's another way out?" she asked, although she all ready knew the answer. His eyes told her just how bad the situation was. "I didn't think so."

Tuxedo Kamen took off his cape and put it around Eternal Sailor Moon's shoulders. "You've got a lot more exposed skin than I do, so keep this wrapped around you as tightly as you can. We've got to head straight across the room and go for the large window. Keep moving, don't stop."

Usagi looked up into his eyes and held Mamoru's gaze, "Promise me that what ever happens, we'll be together."

Mamoru pulled her close, "I love you, Usako," he told her, "I promise, together, whatever happens."

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

How had it all come to this, Major Kaigan wondered? The church behind him burned out of control. The crowd in front of him burned with hatred so bright it dwarfed the conflagration in back of him.

After the Priest had fallen the mob had turned its rage on anything and everything within reach. Cars were over turned, windows were smashed, and opportunists who had joined the crowd were looting shops. Between the protestors, the media covering the protestors and those who simply came to see what the noise was about, there had to be hundreds of people jamming the small area around St. Jude's.

The whole situation had rapidly degenerated into a riot which Major Kaigan and his troops could do nothing to stop. With less than thirty armed men, they best they could do was try and defend themselves from the madness that raged around them. Worst of all, live pictures of Japan's shame were being broadcast for the world to see.

Something at the edge of his peripheral vision grabbed the Major's attention. He whirled to see two figures crash through one of the church's large stained glass windows and into the street. They landed on the unforgiving asphalt and tumbled to a rough halt, still clinging to each other.

Slowly, they stirred and rose. The black cape fell away from Eternal Sailor Moon, showing burns on her arms and legs. Tuxedo Kamen reached for her. There were burns on his hands and face, the once white gloves, scorched in places.

The mob saw them and like a mindless, hungry beast turned its attention towards the two. An explosion from the burning church shook the ground. Chucks of flaming wreckage sailed through the air, landing in the midst of the mob. People screamed in pain and fear. A second explosion ripped through the structure. This time metal shrapnel was included in the debris.

"What's going on?" Usagi cried out.

Mamoru threw himself on top of Usagi trying to shield her from further harm. Raising his head ever so slightly, Tuxedo Kamen gasped. What he saw made his blood run cold.

"Oh no…"

Usagi saw what he did. St. Jude's was an old church. Like many buildings it depended on a propane fuel source for heating. Stacked side by side were a dozen large canisters of the extremely flammable gas. The fire was creeping ever closer. Some of the smaller tanks had all ready ruptured. That was what had caused the first two explosions. When the fire reached those larger tanks…

People, hundreds of people, would die in the ensuing explosion.

Usagi looked at Mamoru. They had the same thought in the same instant. Helping her up, he pulled her into his arms one last time "Together, whatever happens."

Usagi stepped away from him and cupped her hand in front of her. The Ginzuishou came to her calling, spinning in lazy circles. She raised it above her head in a graceful motion.

It was all too easy to find the perfect balance with the crystal and she slipped into it almost without trying. The mystic energies were part of Usagi now and she glowed like a living star.

Her injuries healed and she was filled with a false sense of limitless power. Usagi was unaware of the moment that her fuku melted away into the flowing white dress that marked her as the rightful heir to the magic at her command.

The gown seemed to be made of the same light as the crystal. It flowed and shifted, translucent in an invisible breeze. The ginzuishou lowered itself to pulse before her heart. Usagi brought her arms down from above her head in a sweeping motion, then threw them open wide. A barrier, as ethereal as moonlight, but a solid as stone rose between the burning church and the people around it. The barrier grew, forming a dome. Within it Usagi opened herself fully to the power of the ginzuishou.

It burned brightly in her with a fire that brought no pain. All of her anguish, all of her worries were no longer of consequence. There was only the endless, exquisite power that used her as much as she used it.

Through the bond they shared, Mamoru could feel Usagi losing herself in the seductive call of the ultimate magic of the Silver Millennium. "Usako!" he shouted at her. "Don't give in! Stay with me!"

"Mamo-chan," Usagi moaned his name softly, her voice distant. Her awareness of him faded in and out. Usagi was quickly becoming enthralled. Soon she would be forever lost in the compelling, encompassing song of power.

The last crown prince of earth called on his own birthright, the golden crystal. From where it hid inside him, the stone burst to life. Mamoru could feel the steady, slow heartbeat of the world under his feet. This was the power of Earth, solid, steadfast and unshakable. Closing his eyes in concentration, Mamoru anchored part of his soul in the earth. The other part reached out to his eternal love.

He soared free of his body and his inner sight lead him to Usagi's soul. She floated, suspended in the center of a column of silver fire. He could see the light absorbing her life energy and redirecting it outward. Mamoru didn't hesitate, but reached his "hand" into the quicksilver inferno grabbing for her. He knew the name of her soul and called for her.

_'Serenity, hear me my love'._

The angelic woman in the light took the proffered hand. Her soul's eyes opened as she answered the one call she had never been able to ignore. Usagi floated gently to the ground, Mamoru's earth-born power providing the needed balance for the cosmic energies that raced through her. Her hands, filled with living stardust, pulled Mamoru to her. Her voice in his mind was a song of boundless love.

_'Endymion, my beloved, together forever.'_

Mamoru fell back into his real world body to find Usagi in his arms. The light still shone from her but she had better control of it now. They kissed, holding each other close while a golden and silver glow filled them. The ground around them undulated and wall of earth, like a blanket of soil, moved towards them.

Behind the lovers the fire reached the propane tanks. What was left of St. Jude's church exploded in a fireball that filled the now silver and golden dome. The barrier shuddered but held as the last of the deadly fury was spent.

The protective dome faded away. The air was immediately saturated with chucks of flying earth, choking dust and soot. People covered their eyes and mouths as a roiling, dark cloud filled the streets.

When the dust settled, when the ash stopped falling, there was only a smoking hole where the building had been. There was no trace left of the structure once known as St. Jude's. There was also no trace left of the two people who given all to stop a disaster.

Tsukino Usagi and Chiba Mamoru were gone. It seemed to those present that they had not survived the cataclysmic end of the old church. People looked at the devastation wrought by the explosion. No one could have lived through that, they knew; no one.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

They were too late.

The Inner and Outer Senshi had arrived at opposite ends of the street as the church exploded. They watched in horrified silence as the protective dome disintegrated, as the black cloud of pulverized debris and ash flowed towards them.

Mercury popped her visor into place, both for protection from the gritty ash and to activate the link with her computer. With the single-minded concentration that made her a scholar, Ami scanned the

area. She didn't allow the moans of grief filled denials from her friends to distract her. The readings she got made no sense to her, as if her mind wouldn't comprehend what her eyes told her. Ami continued to punch the computer's small buttons almost frantically.

"No, they have to be here," she whispered as she kept trying to refine the readings, "They can't be gone. I have to find them."

The dust began to settle, but still Mercury kept at her task. She knew that Usagi has used the ginzuishou. The crystal gave off a very distinctive magnetic resonance signature. If she could calibrate the computer to follow a trail…

Rei came up behind Ami, calling her name. Mercury shook her head and kept on working. "They've got to be here somewhere. I know can I find them."

Rei looked at the scorched earth where St. Jude's church had been. A thin vapor still rose from the edges of the pit. In her heart Rei knew there was no way Usagi and Mamoru could have survived the blast.

Rei's voice was tight with grief, "Ami-chan, they're gone. I…."

"There!" Ami cried out. She grabbed at Rei, pulling her along as Mercury ran. "I found them! Come on!"

Mina and Makoto shook themselves from their shock to follow. When they caught up with Ami and Rei, both were on their hands and knees digging frantically at a pile of dirt. Venus and Jupiter joined in, digging with bare hands.

Rei's hand hit something. She gently pushed at the pliant earth. A blond head was just below her hands.

"Usagi!" Rei screamed as she dug harder and faster, "Usagi be alive. Oh Kami-sama, please be alive!"

Usagi and Mamoru lay still entwined in the soft earth that had shielded them from the worst of the blast. Mars felt more than saw the Outer Senshi arrive. Makoto and Rei each took an arm and pulled Usagi free.

Rei grabbed Usagi, pulling her dearest friend into a hug as she called her name. Setsuna was suddenly there to help Mina pull Mamoru clear of the dirt.

Mamoru coughed once and gasped. His ocean blue eyes slowly opened. "Usako…"

In Rei's arms the last Princess of the Silver Millennium stirred at the sound of her beloved's voice. She turned her head, now in Rei's lap to face him "Mamo-chan…"

Mamoru reached out a hand and she took it. "I promised you we'd be together, didn't I?"

She gave a wan smile that lit her dirty face, "Yes you did," she replied squeezing his hand. "Together forever."

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The lunar landscape had changed very little in the past one thousand years. The cataclysmic loss of most of the atmosphere had preserved the ruins of the once great kingdom. Since the fall of the Silver Millennium, only a handful of people had ever seen this place.

The two cats that lead the small group of people across the rubble strewn grounds seemed oddly at home. Luna and Artemis led Usagi, Mamoru and the Senshi with unerring precision. Luna finally stopped and looked around.

"This is it," she said to Usagi who came to stand beside her. "The column of prayer was here. Nothing is left now, I'm afraid. It was all destroyed in the battle with Metallia."

Usagi went to a blackened base. Bits of charred, fractured crystal lay on the ground beside it. She placed a hand to one of the shards and it began to glow softly.

"Not destroyed Luna, asleep. Now that we're here I finally understand what my mother meant by that."

"I don't suppose you'd care to enlighten the rest of us?" Mina asked.

"I told all of you that my mother said she'd sent everything and everyone she could into the future. That was what confused me," Usagi said as Mamoru put an arm around her shoulders. "I couldn't understand where she could have hidden an entire kingdom."

Usagi and Mamoru smiled at each other. Once Usagi had figured it out the answer was so absurdly simple it was almost embarrassing.

"Do you remember how the ginzuishou was sent forward?" Mamoru said.

"Sure, it was sealed inside Usagi," Makoto replied at once.

Beside her Ami started to laugh. Those closest to her, Rei and Mina, gave her a look of confusion. "Of course. It all makes perfect sense when you think about it," Ami said. "That's why we've been having those dreams about the Moon Kingdom."

Usagi looked at her friends. "What's a kingdom without its people? Don't you see? The Moon Kingdom is sealed inside her people. That's how I'll know the reborn children of the Moon. They each carry a piece of the Silver Millennium inside them. I suspect the Senshi hold the palace and its immediate grounds."

Usagi looked slowly at all of her friends. "Now that I can achieve balance with the ginzuishou, I have the power to unlock it from inside you."

It was Mamoru's turn to speak. "Haven't you ever wondered what would have happened if Beryl had been unable to get to the Moon Kingdom? Without a way to vent their hatred and anger, the mob she gathered into an army would have fallen apart within a fairly short amount of time."

Haruka could see where this was going. "Just how long do you think a 'short amount of time' is?"

Mamoru shrugged his shoulder, "A year, perhaps two. The way the world is today, if we remove ourselves from the public eye, we'll be forgotten sooner or later."

"Sooner," Minako mused out loud. "The way the news cycle works we'll be old news in a month or so." She gave Usagi and Mamoru a sad look, "Especially since the world thinks that you two are dead."

Usagi shook her head in response, "I know you don't agree, Minako, but for now that's the way it has to be."

"Some of us wondered if it might not be best for all of us to go into hiding," Neptune remarked in a voice that was less a question than a statement. "But now we don't have to try to disappear into another country, do we?"

Usagi looked at Mamoru, then at her friends. "We can come back to the one place where we can truly get away from it all. Now, we have the option of coming home. It's up to all of you, though. If you want to leave the Silver Millennium sealed away, I won't force you to give up the pieces you each hold."

The decision was made before Usagi finished speaking. All of the Senshi, both Inners and Outers tuned to face each other. After all they had been through, a place to call home, a place where they truly belonged sounded too good to be true.

"The Outer Senshi are proud to stand with you Princess," said Hotaru.

Not to be out done, Minako spoke right up, "We've been with you from the beginning, Usagi-chan. We couldn't leave you now. Besides, if it's so trendy to have bi-costal homes then having bi-planetary homes has got to be outrageously chic!"

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

NASA was the first to notice the strange light coming from the area of the moon known as the sea of Serenity. Observatories across the globe began to report the odd glow. Some thought it was due to sunspots, or perhaps electro-magnetic flux within earth itself.

Since it didn't interrupt satellites and with it television signals, computers and cell phones, most people simply ignored it. The moon was so far away, after all. What ever happened there could hardly affect the lives of people on earth.

Usagi thought she had felt full force of the ginzuishou flowing through her before. But now, here on the moon itself, it sang into wholeness that which had been sundered millennia ago. Usagi could have been easily lost within that kind of cosmic tempest, but for the man who held her hands in his.

He was the reason Usagi didn't allow herself to be burned to a rapturous ash. Mamoru was able to touch her soul, and with his power born of the solid, rock-steady earth, anchored her to the here and now.

The Inner and Outer Senshi were arrayed in a circle that had Usagi and Mamoru at the center. One by one, they linked with each other, combining power. The Imperium Crystal pulsed brightly.

A gentle, silver wave of energy that held the hint of gold at its edges flowed towards the Senshi. It touched Mercury first, and as it did, she gasped at the song of joy that filled her. When the song reached its peak a light came from insider of her. It coalesced and formed a single, small, shard of crystal that floated above her head.

That done, the wave moved to Rei next. One by one each of the Senshi were touched by the great power of the Moon Kingdom. When the last of them, Pluto had been touched, the wave and the shards of crystal raced back to Usagi.

The shards floated inside the energy wave that danced around the young woman clothed in light. With a thought, she sent them to their proper place. The shards, one by one, gently settled into the shattered column of prayer. The blackened base glowed; the column itself grew slightly, renewed by the power returning to it.

"Cosmic…" A light came from the ginzuishou. It poured into the miniature crystal column of prayer.

"…Moon…" The light erupted from the pillar filling the air around them with silver stars.

"…Power…" The stars exploded into dust.

"…Restore!"

The shimmering powder flowed like water under their feet. In its wake the Moon Castle took shape. Rooms, walls, floors, and everything within those rooms was restored.

The wave of light grew in size, spreading to the grounds around the castle. Life sprang from the previously barren soil. Trees, grass, bushes and a profusion of flowers appeared. Water, which had slept inside the moon, was released. With a roar, the sea of Serenity was truly an ocean once more. A fresh wind blew under the protective dome that formed.

On earth, the Moon Kingdom's re-born citizens felt their world rise from its ancient slumber. They had been scattered by the power that sent them into the future and a new life. They were of every race and creed, part of every nation on earth. For one moment, they all stopped, as if someone had called them by name, and turned to look at they sky.

A half remembered dream of other places, other lives began to surface. Even as they went back to what they had been doing, there was a warm feeling that lingered in their hearts. The awakening had begun.

For the first time in a thousand years, the sound of laughter and happy, excited voices rang across the surface of the moon. The door to the great castle were open and the heirs to a renewed empire emerged.

Usagi and Mamoru were the last ones to come out. The Prince of Earth had an arm around a shaky Usagi to support her. They paused at the head of the stairs, more to give Usagi a chance to steady herself than anything else.

Mina looked up the two people she called friends and a something took hold of her. It was as if she was seeing the completion of a dream she'd only partially remembered all her life. Minako, Princess of Venus and Leader of the Inner Senshi knew with heart stopping joy that she had been waiting her whole life for this very moment.

Minako raised her eyes to Usagi and Mamoru. "Hail Serenity," she called out on a strong voice, "Queen of the Moon Kingdom! Hail Endymion, her King!"

One by one, the Senshi, both Inner and Outer, took up the refrain. For a moment, it surprised Usagi into shock. Mamoru gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze and she looked up at him.

"Hail Serenity," he whispered to her, "Queen of the Silver Millennium."

Their eyes locked as she said to him. "Hail Endymion, my beloved and my King."

From a short distance away, the ghostly outline of the now Dowager Queen of the Moon Kingdom watched as her daughter and her husband received the accolades of their friends. Though the dark forces had tried to prevent this moment, all was as it should be. The path to the future had been set in motion.

The Silver Millennium was restored. The Moon Kingdom lived once again. She was grateful that her Master had allowed her to be here to see this moment. The light behind her flared as the summons for her return came. Selene willingly answered the call, pausing only to give the new Monarchs of the White Moon Kingdom one last look filled with love.

The road ahead would be long and hard. It would test each of those she glanced at in ways they couldn't imagine. But, Selene knew, as long as they believed in each other, as long as they loved each other, there was still hope.

She called out with her heart as she disappeared into the light. "Onward to the future, my dear ones."

"Onward to the future."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Next – "Epilogue"


	13. Epilogue

"Fatal Exposure"

Epilogue

Yuuichirou gave a grunt as he hefted the last log into place. They had been cut from trees that grew in the northern most islands of Japan and brought here through a device called a "Gate". They seemed to be perfectly dry and well aged, which should have been impossible for trees cut only a day or so ago. If the past few weeks had taught Yuri anything, it was that the word "impossible" was in desperate need of redefining. He ran a hand across his damp forehead and took a deep breath.

"I think that does it, Sensei-sama," he said to the old man who watched him so closely.

The old man walked around the wood and muttered to himself in satisfaction as he went. "Very good, Yuri, very good indeed. Now Rei, are you ready to light it?"

Rei stood quietly in the back of the small, impromptu shrine. Her grandfather had announced that he was going to the moon with her. If Dr. Mizuno was going to set a clinic to take care of the bodily ills, then someone had to be there to tend to the ills of the soul as well. No amount of arguing would dissuade him, and Rei was secretly glad.

Her eyes strayed to Yuri and a smile came to her lips. He'd told her, in a much more intimate way, that he had no intentions of being separated from her. Such an ordinary looking man, Rei thought, but capable of the most extraordinary things. Yuri saw her looking at him and winked.

She coughed to cover the blush that rushed into her cheeks, "Ready when you are." She reached for her henshin wand, but her grandfather put a hand out to stop her.

"No," he said, "You, Hino Rei, will light that fire, not Sailor Mars."

Rei opened her mouth to protest, "But grandpa…"

He placed a gentle hand on hers. "I told you. The sacred fire lives inside you. Pray, granddaughter and you can release it." He gave her a nudge towards the stacked wood. "Believe in yourself, Rei."

Using the discipline she'd been practicing since childhood, Rei knelt before the wood. She closed her eyes and began to pray. The words came easily enough to her lips and flowed as easily from her heart. She chanted, over and over, humbly begging the Divine to come to this place.

At first nothing happened. Then slowly Rei felt the heat building. In her heart an ember caught, and flared to life. Smoke rose from the stacked wood. Slowly at first, the smoke became flame. The fire rose, and then banked to burn steadily.

Rei opened her eyes, surprised by what had just happened. Yuri had a confused, but very please look on his face. Her grandfather only chuckled in delight as he came up behind her.

"I told you," he said placing his hands on her shoulders, "the sacred fire lives in you."

Rei reached up and placed one hand over the old man's, "No Grandpa, it lives in all of us."

He looked at her and at the fire that burned so warmly. "Well said, my wise, young priestess," he sighed, "and so very true."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Minako looked around the spacious apartment that was her living quarters. Everything was just as she remembered it, right down to the small bottle of lilac perfume she kept in the center of her dressing table.

A large sword of crystal was mounted in a clear case by the doors that led to the balcony. She stopped and with a touch opened the case. The sacred sword that protected the crown princess of the Moon Kingdom was light in her hand. It felt as if it were a part of her.

Returning the sword (technically it shouldn't be brought out until Small Lady would be born now that Usagi was Queen), she stepped out onto the balcony. The air was fragrant and Minako took a deep breath. She closed her eyes in sheer bliss. After living with people who never understood her, after years of never quite fitting in, Minako finally had a place where she belonged.

She was at long last, home.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Ami took a deep breath as the last of the medical supplies her mother had purloined were put away. The palace, thankfully, had well equipped medical facilities that were restored along with the rest of it. Some of the equipment was still a mystery to Ami, one that she could spend years trying to unravel. Her mother seemed to be thinking along the same lines, and gave a sigh as she tinkered with what looked like an x-ray machine.

"I'm sorry about all of this," Ami said before she could stop herself. "I'm sorry you have to..."

Dr. Mizuno looked surprised. "Sorry, for what? That I had to give up all the paperwork involved with my practice? That I no longer have to deal with the bureaucrats and bean counters that run the insurance companies? I'm not sorry, not in the least. Once your 'reborn children of the moon' start arriving, I'm going to do what I spent all those years in medical school training for. I'm going to be a healer to all those people. I'm going to make a difference in their lives and you are going to help me."

A smile broke out across Ami's face as she listened to her mother. The simple truth in her words touched the Senshi of Mercury's heart. "Really? I'm still just an undergrad student. I'm not truly qualified for…"

Dr. Mizuno went to her daughter, "You have a good head and an even better heart, Ami. You'll make a fine doctor." She raised a finger to shake at her stunned child. "Mind you, that doesn't excuse you from bookwork. You still have a lot to learn and I can be a very hard taskmaster."

Ami gave her a hug. "But the very best teacher I could ever ask for. I love you mom."

A kiss was placed on the top of Ami's hair, "I love you too, sweetness. Now let's go find that library you told me about and get those studies started."

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

It had been easy enough for Setsuna to give up her so-called life on earth. To be honest, she'd never been completely comfortable around "normal" humans. Setsuna knew she could be remote at times, but this that was how living alone for most of a thousand years had left her.

Part of the way she'd been able to stay sane was to shut off her emotions. It had so much easier not to constantly feel the horror of the loss that had been visited on her. Since Lorilei had come back into her life these past few years, Setsuna had ever so slowly started to open up again. Her twin was the other half of her soul. With Lorilei, Setsuna was at last whole once more.

But now Lorilei was leaving her.

Setsuna could understand all the reasons why it had to be so. Lorilei wasn't a Senshi. With the shard of the Silver Millennium still sleeping inside her, she could still pass as a base line human on the genetic tests that most governments were moving to implement.

Since Lorilei was a concert pianist, it gave her the perfect excuse to move from place to place. She would have the freedom to help find those citizens of the Moon Kingdom who were just now awakening. Lorilei was only doing her duty, just as Setsuna would have done in her place. So why didn't that sound piece of logic give her any comfort?

"Do you have the letter for the Tsukino's?" Setsuna asked to break the silence.

Lorilei gave a short nod. Her waist long green hair had been cut to her chin and dyed an inoffensive black. Brown contact lenses hid the magenta eyes and helped her to look like just another unremarkable face in the crowd.

"Right here," Lorilei patted her handbag, "and I memorized the names of the first four people on the contact list. Makoto wanted me to eat it if I was caught so I figured this way would easier on my stomach. Well, I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

Time was now the enemy of the Keeper of the Timegate. In a moment Lorilei would be back on earth and Setsuna would be alone once again. The Senshi of Pluto said nothing, afraid of what would happen if she tried to speak. She merely gave a curt nod of acknowledgement.

Lorilei sensed the distress her twin hid so well. "The distance apart doesn't matter, you know. It's not like we can ever really be separated," she said when Setsuna didn't. She raised a hand, palm out. "We are two but we are one. We are…"

Setsuna brought her hand up to meet Lorilei's. "…Kayashan," she whispered the secret soul name they shared between them. Setsuna savored the peace it brought as she heard it echo in Lorilei's soul. The Senshi of Pluto laced her fingers through Lorilei's and pulled the two hands closed.

Lorilei gently broke away from her twin and stepped towards the portal of Setsuna's Gate that the Soldier of the Underworld opened. "Don't worry, I promise to be as careful as possible, Suna. And I'll be back to torture you with my music before you know it."

Setsuna watched as Lorilei disappeared into portal, closing the gate down as soon as she was sure that her twin was through. Setsuna took a moment to look at the blue planet rising above the horizon.

Taking up her staff, the Senshi of Pluto headed back to the palace and to her solitary duty.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

On an incongruously sunny, mild day, they came together to mourn for Tsukino Usagi and Chiba Mamoru. It was intended to be a private ceremony for two who died such a very public death. The small group of grief stricken friends and relatives tried their best to ignore the throng of reporters that followed their every move. It wasn't easy.

There were no caskets to put in the graves that lay side by side. Nothing could found of either Usagi or Mamoru after the explosion. Ikuko has insisted that the simple markers be placed together in the cemetery and her husband had quietly agreed.

With their son between them, the two placed a single white, rose near the stone that read, "Tsukino Usagi – beloved daughter and sister. At rest with her Prince". Ikuko placed the second rose at Mamoru's stone, "Chiba Mamoru - at rest with his Princess". Behind them the flash cameras washed their grieving forms in a blue white light.

Tsukino Ikuko snapped. She jerked away from the supportive arms of her husband and turned to the reports. "My baby is gone because of all of you! Vultures - are you happy now," she shouted at them. "Is this going to give you the ratings you want? Did you make enough money off their deaths yet?!" She broke down into sobs that stopped her from speaking. Kenji and Shingo led her away towards the waiting car.

They barely noticed the woman with the chin length black hair who waited by the car. She handed an envelope to Shingo and whispered something to him that made him give a jerk of shock. Before he could question her, the young woman disappeared back into the crowd and out of sight.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The palace was simply too big for Makoto to be comfortable in it. Ever since her parents had died she'd lived by herself in a small two room flat. The Moon was a big place for the very few people who currently occupied it.

She wandered the empty halls listening to the echo of her footsteps until she couldn't stand it anymore. Finally coming upon a door, she thrust it open and went into a garden. The scent of green, growing things was comforting.

The gardens were as much of a maze as the palace itself and she went down one path after another. The sound of water lapping on a shore came to ears. Mako followed the sound and, as she emerged from a hedgerow, saw an inland sea. There was a single figure staring out over the waters. Makoto had a pretty good idea who that figure was.

Michiru watched as the distant, blue earth rose above the horizon. "Hello Mako-chan. This place draws people to it, ne? You're the second visitor in under an hour. Hotaru just left to find Setsuna."

"Is something wrong with Setsuna?" Mako asked.

The Senshi of Neptune gave a gentle, knowing smile. "Lorilei left for earth a little while ago. I thought perhaps Hotaru-chan could cheer her up a bit. And this will help to keep Hotaru's mind on something other than the lack of young men we are currently experiencing."

Makoto gave a grumble. She'd noticed the dearth of eligible males, too. Hopefully some of those reborn children of the moon would be single men. "Where's Haruka?"

"On patrol," Michiru replied. "She volunteered to take the outer perimeter today. Leaving earth is hard for her and this will give her some solitude to come to grips with what she's lost."

"No cars to race, no motorcycles, no motorized vehicles at all," Mako agreed. "But I'm sure Haruka can find something to keep herself busy. Maybe she'll build her own vehicle. Just think of all the records she can set here on the moon."

Michiru gave Mako a look of delighted surprise. "You know, you're right. I think I'll mention that fact when Haruka gets back. It just might be the lift her spirit needs."

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The silent, blue planet rose above the sea of Serenity. Cloud formations danced in the upper atmosphere like veils. They parted every now and then to offer teasing glimpses of the landmass below. Usagi stood and watched as the clouds slowly parted to reveal the islands known as the nation of Japan – the place she'd always thought of as home.

They should have finished the "burial" services by now, she knew. Usagi could only hope that the letter she'd sent her family was explanation enough for them. Now that those in power thought that she and Mamoru were dead, her family and friends would be able to stay on earth safely. Their grief at her "death" was so genuine that people wouldn't think to question it.

Her death.

Just thinking those words made her remember how shaky she was. God, she was so tired, so very tired. Usagi knew she'd been using the Ginzuishou too hard and much too frequently lately. It had drained her dry both physically and emotionally, left her with no reserves inside. Usagi was tapped out and frightened.

If she was forced to go into balance with the Ginzuishou again anytime soon, she wasn't sure that even Mamoru would be able to pull her back from losing herself in its deadly bliss. Tears of fear and exhaustion sprang up behind her eyes. All the new Queen of the Moon Kingdom really wanted to do was forget that the last few weeks had ever happened, even if only for a few hours.

Inside the room, Mamoru finished putting the small photograph on the nightstand by the bed. This was the only picture of his parents he had and the one thing he'd brought to the moon. Mamoru wished he could have known his parents better. He always hoped that they would be proud of all he done with his life.

An almost Doctor, a caped hero and now King, he thought. Not too shabby for a lonely orphan.

Usagi was still staring at the distant earth when Mamoru came to join her. He slipped his arms around her shoulders and she sighed, leaning back into him.

"You're so quiet Usako," he said. "This isn't like you."

Usagi shook her head, "Haven't you heard? Tsukino Usagi is dead. She died in an explosion."

Usagi moved away from the shelter of Mamoru's arms to lean on the railing of the balcony. Her back was to him so he wouldn't see the tears that threatened. "It's so strange. I never really got used to being Serenity, the Moon Princess who died a thousand years ago. And now…" she paused, exhaustion making her voice rough, "Now, I'm Serenity, Queen of the Silver Millennium and it's Tsukino Usagi who is dead and buried. I'm not sure who I am anymore."

"What's in a name? A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet," Mamoru said, quoting Shakespeare. With a flick of a wrist he produced a white rose and coming up behind her, stroked the side of her neck with its silky petals. "Whatever you call yourself, you're still the same woman I've always loved. Maybe Tsukino Usagi is hiding right now, but she's far from dead."

"What if she doesn't want to come out of hiding?"

"She'll come back." He turned her around and gathered her in his arms. "I have faith in my Usako. You see, I'm hopelessly in love with her." He leaned down to kiss her, "And I'll wait as long as it takes for her to come back to me."

Usagi slipped her arms up his back and pulled him close as they shared a deep kiss. When at last their lips parted she gave him a small smile. "I also seem to remember that you promised to show her just how 'shameless' you can be."

There was a wicked light in Mamoru's midnight blue eyes. He swept Usagi up into his arms. "So I did. Will you help me find my Usako, so I can keep that promise?"

"Perhaps that could be arranged." The door closed behind them, shutting out the world as Mamoru carried Usagi into their bedroom. It seemed she'd be able to forget about her troubles for at least a few hours after all.

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Haruka, Sailor Uranus, had watched the small, toaster sized machine for the last hour. It rolled across the renewed lunar landscape with very only minor problems. The tires on the tiny rover had not been designed to take into account the presence of vegetation and kept getting fouled. Obviously this project had been put together much too quickly. This development wasn't unexpected though, at least not to her.

_Miserable cret_ins, she thought, _they chase us from earth then hound us here, too._

A camera on the machine whined as it came to life. A small red light flickered on to show that it was now recording. This was what Haruka had been waiting for. She called on her talisman and walked directly in front of the camera's field of vision. Uranus wanted to make quite sure what she was about to do could be clearly seen.

The mission room in the Kennedy Space Center had been ruled off limits to all but a few people. The rover that the CIA had sent up was supposed to send back pictures and data on air samples from the moon. The long dead moon was once again viable, and the United States was going to be a first to stake a claim to the verdant lands there.

The grainy black and white pictures from the camera flickered on a large screen that dominated one wall. The silence in the room was absolute. The scientists present were stunned by the variety of life they saw. The CIA operatives were by nature and training, taciturn in the extreme.

A tall, athletic woman with short, sandy hair and dressed in a sailor fuku suddenly dominated the picture. She held a glowing sword in one hand. When she opened her mouth to speak, and her words were clearly audible to everyone present.

"By order of the rightful Monarchs of the Silver Millennium, trespassing by the Governments of Earth upon the sovereign territory of the Moon Kingdom will not be tolerated." Uranus raised her sword, and it pulsed, reflecting her anger.

Those in the control room saw a flash of light as Uranus ran her space sword through the small machine. The picture immediately scrambled to snow then stopped. The last transmission from the moon was of Haruka's voice. It summed everything up quite succinctly.

"Keep out!"

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Author's Notes: Let's see if everyone has been paying attention. Our heroes are in exile from Earth. Usagi is near physical and emotional collapse. Various powerful people have designs on the land that is the Moon Kingdom, an uncounted number of people are about to awaken to the fact that they are not of this world – and this is the last chapter of this part of the story. Does everyone hate me now, or what?

This may be the last chapter in "Fatal Exposure", but not the end of the story. "Fatal Exposure" is only the first of three books that will detail the fall of earth into the great frozen sleep, and the rise of Crystal Tokyo.

I know some of you aren't happy where I ended book one, but I promise the greater story will continue soon. In the mean time keep cool, have fun and always remember that objects in the mirror are closer than appear.

Onward to the future!

Meara


End file.
